Grey Metal
by BlueRoseRabbit
Summary: Ed & Al are chasing the Freeze Alchemist when they meet a girl with grey hair, grey eyes, and ruined legs. She's lost, originally from a place called Ohio in the year 2013. She joins up with the Elrics on their quest to get their bodies back, tagging along for the fun of it. Eventual EdxOC? - - - - Writing gets progressively better.
1. Not In Ohio Anymore

**Alright. Lynn is mine. I don't own anything else. Got it? Awesome. The story shall now proceed!**

**P. S. I have no idea what I'm doing, really. I'm just throwing stuff on the computer and seeing what happens to the plotline from there on out.**

**P. S. I'm going with the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood anime plotline at first because I like it. o3o Pretty much when that Freeze guy escapes custody is when Lynn just happens to be there. The first episode of the anime is how this chapter and the next chapter go, with a twist at the end.**

. . . . . . . . . .

I awoke in an alley.

I had no idea how I got there. I couldn't remember what I had been doing immediately previous to my unconsciousness. I checked my pockets, looking for my phone. No phone, but I had my iPod Touch and some headphones. It was at full battery, too. That was good.

I bet you're thinking, "What? What's so good about it? You can't call your mom/dad/grandma/etc with an iPod Touch." But nay, that is not so! If there be interwebz, then there be texting and calling opportunities!

It doesn't matter much, though. Grams is dead. The only person I could've called is Grams. At least I have headphones so I can listen to some tunes.

I struggled to my feet, looking around, trying not to panic. So far, I was doing pretty well. There's not much to see in an alley, so I went into the sunshine.

It was like stepping back in time, except it was a weird time period. Their style of clothes did not match the fact that they had cars, albeit old looking ones. I turned, looking desperately for some sort of familiar sight. It was also nighttime.

Instead I got a giant suit of armor and a kid/teenager in a red coat. It would've been funny if I wasn't flipping out. They were accompanied by some unconscious military men.

"Damnit, he escaped! Hold up, who's she?" The shorter of the two looked me up and down, as if he had a right to talk. His outfit was crazy. Black pants, black shirt, white gloves, red trench coat.

"I have no idea, Brother." The armor guy said, sounding confused but looking expressionless.

. . . . . . . . . .

A plain but pretty girl was standing in front of Al and I, and she had strangest clothes on. Very baggy blue trousers of some sort and a tighter, purple v-neck shirt that said "Epic Purple Shirt" on it. Listed below that were the words, "Binds When Picked Up", "Shirt", and "Requires Level 85", which made no sense to me whatsoever. Her jacket was unzipped, which was why I could see the shirt. The jacket was grey with shiny studs all over it, like tiny mirrors, and the sleeves were long. She was wearing shoes, although they were pretty odd looking. Her hair reached down past the middle of her back, and it was a silvery-grey color. It was straight like Winry's. She had light grey eyes, almost white. They made me uncomfortable. I scowled at her. She flinched at first, then met my gaze.

"What's with your outfits?" Seeing as "outfits" was plural, she meant Al and I. I could see why she'd think Al was odd, but why me? I dressed perfectly normal.

"Our outfits are perfectly normal, thank you very much. Who're you supposed to be?"

"Lynn. Who're _you _supposed to be?"

"I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. This is my little brother, Alphonse." I stood up a little straighter, unconsciously puffing out my chest.

"Yeah, and I'm P!nk." She said sarcastically. I wasn't sure who "Pink" was, so I ignored that and listened to her next sentence. "What're you talking about?" She paused. "Alchemy has something to do with mixing chemicals and elements and stuff, right?" I almost gasped. How could she not know what alchemy was? Maybe she was some country bumpkin...but then again, Al and I are from the country, and we weren't bumpkins.

"Haven't you ever heard the law of equivalent exchange?" I asked. Seeing her blank look, I sighed.

"Where are you from?" Al asked gently.

"A town near Toleto. If you can help me find a map I can get home on my own." She sounded confident, but she looked like she was trying to convince herself that she could find her way home.

"I've never heard of Toleto. Is that even in Amestris?" I turned to Al. He usually knew those sorts of things.

"I don't think so, Brother. What country are you from, Miss Lynn?"

"The United States of America. Where's Amestris? I've never seen that on a map." I looked over at Al.

"She's really strange. Look at her clothes. She talks of places called 'Toleto' and 'United States of America', and she doesn't even know that she's in Amestris."

"Very strange, Brother."

"Ahem. I hate to interrupt, but _quit talking about me like I'm not even here._" She looked really annoyed, then kind of scared. "What do you mean? Haven't you heard of the USA? You know, money problems, huge buttload of weapons, civil war ages ago when a bunch of states receded from the Union and in the end we abolished slavery?" She sounded panicky by the end of it, noticing my blank look and Al's lack of verbal assurance.

"Maybe Colonel Mustang will know what she's talking about." Al suggested.

"Yeah, we have to report to him about this anyway, but ugh, I don't want to face him yet." I groaned.

"Quit being such a baby." Al chided. "Come on, Lynn, we'll get this all sorted out." She calmed down a little. I sighed.

"Fine. Follow us, then." Al and I turned and walked toward the government building at a slightly-faster-than-normal pace. The wounded soldiers were picking themselves up and getting medical backup, so they'd be okay.

After a few moments, she called out to us. "C-could you slow down a little? I can't keep up." I turned, hearing the embarrassment in her voice. She was wheezing, and I noticed she didn't walk normally, like her knees didn't bend all the way and she couldn't take very big steps. The steps she could take were rather heavy.

"Al, could you carry her? I want to get this over with." I sighed in annoyance.

"Sure thing." Al walked over to her and scooped her up in his metal arms, ignoring her sound of protest. From there we proceeded to the government building quickly.

. . . . . . . . . .

I was soooo embarrassed. My stupid self couldn't keep up with them, so I had to burden Alphonse with carrying me.

"Sorry, Alphonse." I whispered, avoiding looking up.

"It's okay, Lynn. I don't mind at all." I looked up. Had he heard me? Did he read my mind?

His eyes glowed red. They were a little eerie, but I had heard that my eyes made people uncomfortable, too. I gave him a hesitant smile.

Soon, we arrived at a large building. Eddie and Allie (how odd sounding! I almost giggled at the thought) and I went into it, and we traveled to an office. I tried to ignore the stares that people were giving us (mainly me).

"Mustang!" Ed pushed open the door roughly.

"Oh, you're back so soon? Did you miss me that much, Fullmetal?" There it was. Eddo was telling the truth as far as the "Fullmetal Alchemist" thing went. Mustang looked up and saw me in Al's arms. "Edward! You can't just go kidnapping people because they call you short." He teased.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT NO ONE EVER SEES THEM?! I'LL RIP YOUR LEGS OFF AND STICK THEM ON YOUR HEAD!" Edward flew into a rage, lunging at the army man. Quick as a flash, Al dropped me and grabbed his brother, holding him back. I stumbled, trying not to buckle or fall over, wincing at the pain that hit my legs upon my abrupt landing.

"Brother! Stop that! We have to help Lynn, remember?" Hearing Al's words, Ed calmed down a bit. Alphonse put him down. "Sorry about dropping you, Lynn."

"S'all good." I grinned. "Eddo, you have a serious Napoleon complex." He just looked at me, confused.

"And who is the maiden you have stolen?" Mustang eyed me curiously.

"Lynn Grey." I answered quickly, before Ed started yelling about how he didn't kidnap me.

"Well, why are you here?" Mustang eyed me warily, probably noting my "strange" baggy blue jeans that were a bit too long, and my "odd" Epic Purple Shirt. I was wearing sneakers, too, but he probably didn't care about those.

"I'm lost and I need help getting home, but these two don't recognize the names of where I'm from." I looked at the colonel, hoping he'd be able to help.

"Where're you from?"

"A town near Toleto, Ohio." He gave me a blank look like Edward had earlier. "In the United States of America, you know?" I started to panic. If even a _government official _didn't know anything, I might never get home.

"What year is it, Lynn?" He narrowed his eyes in thought.

"2013, of course."

"What?!" Edward looked at me like I was crazy. Even the colonel and the female soldier (whom I just noticed was standing behind his desk) looked shocked.

"I'm sorry to inform you that you're incorrect. The 2000s won't happen for another century." Mustang said bluntly. It took a moment for that to sink in.

"C-century?" I whispered in horror. I swayed where I was standing, and I started trembling. "I-I think I need to sit down." I backed up a step or two until I was against the wall, and I slid down until I was sitting on the floor.

There was no way this was possible.

. . . . . . . . . .

I heard the slight "clunk" sound that happened when Lynn's legs hit the floor and splayed awkwardly. It was a metal sound. Automail? If it was, it must've been poorly made. She could walk, but it had been difficult for her to keep pace with Al and I earlier. Mustang heard it too. His eyes narrowed and he looked like he was about to ask, but seeing as her already grey-tinted skin had gone white and she looked on the verge of a mental breakdown, he kept his mouth shut.

"Lynn? Are you alright?" Al asked hesitantly. Hearing his voice seemed to snap her out of her panic. She took a shaky breath, and then gave him a smile.

"I'll be fine, Alphonse! Don't worry about me." Her voice cracked, and I knew her smile was fake. Al and I exchanged a doubtful look. "Now, help me up, o brave knight. I must beseech the carlord for help." Al and I shared another brief look, this time a look of "What the heck is she talking about?". Al offered her a hand and she took it, struggling to move her legs into a position that would allow her to stand. She eventually made it to a standing position.

"Carlord?" I asked. She turned to me.

"Mustang, you know, like the car?" She chuckled. "Eddo, I've a feeling we're not in Ohio anymore."

"Uh, Mustang? Has she gone insane?" I turned to him, conveying with my eyes that I had no idea what was going on.

"Nay, nay, good sir." She stretched, then grew serious. "Now, how am I going to survive here? You guys obviously have no idea who I am or where I'm from. This place is called Amestris, there's no internet," She waved a strange, rectangular thing in the air. "And Allie here is in a giant suit of armor. These things are not normal."

"You're the one who's not normal." Said Mustang, relieved that she was back to a non-panicky state of mind. "Do you have automail legs? And are those clothes normal from where you're from?"

"Uh...what's automail? And yeah, these clothes are normal. Seeing as you all know nothing, (and don't look mad, I don't know anything either,) I'm guessing you don't know how to send me home?" She ran her hand through her hair, a frustrated sigh escaping her pale lips. "Oh well, it's not like I have anyone to go home to."

"I have an idea!" Mustang grinned wickedly.

"What?" I asked cautiously.

"Fullmetal, you have no missions at the moment! Help get Lynn Grey settled."

"What?!" I was infuriated. "We need to look for the Philosopher's Stone, we don't have time to babysit some girl!" I yelled, forgetting that Lynn was still in the room.

"Brother!" Alphonse would've glared at me if he had a body. Lynn stared at the floor.

"Ah- I mean-" I didn't know what to say.

"It's fine." She said shortly. "I can do it on my own, I'll be fine." She hobbled out of the room before I could say any more.

. . . . . . . . . .

I made my way out of the office, walking awkwardly. I tried to keep myself from crying.

I cursed my ignorance about this place, I cursed my legs (have you ever seen Forest Gump? My legs are kind of like Forest's, but more mangled and less genetically-lacking), I cursed Edward and Alphonse and Mustang, I cursed myself for cursing Alphonse and Mustang. I swore silently as I hobbled blindly around the building. I couldn't see because I had started crying. Then, I bumped into somebody.

"Oh? Who is this?"

"Sorry. Didn't see you there." I choked out, blinking back tears.

"S'all good. Where're ya headed, Lil' Miss?" The voice was gentle but curious.

"Nowhere. I don't know where I'm supposed to go." I looked at the ground.

"Well, you could come stay at my house! My wife Gracia and daughter Elicia would love to have you!" The voice went from gentle to a squeal, and I looked up in alarm. The man was holding a picture of a woman and child who looked alike and happy. "What's your name?"

"Umm.. I'm Lynn." I wiped my tears, not wanting to seem that weak in front of this stranger.

"I'm Maes Hughes. Nice to meetcha. What're you doing here?"

"I came with Al and Ed, but-"

"Edward and Alphonse Elric? I heard that Edward is a state alchemist, the Fullmetal Alchemist! Splendid!"

"Uh..."

"Now, come on, I'll drive you to my apartment!"

"Hold on-!" Maes dragged me down the corridor. _Move, damn legs, work faster! _I struggled to keep up.

Eventually we made it to his car, and he drove me to his house. We were greeted at the door by the woman and girl from the picture. The little girl was adorable.

"Daddy's home! Daddy's home! Who's this, Daddy?" Elicia pointed at me. Yes, I remember names. He said it earlier. I suddenly had a stroke of inspiration.

"I'm Lynn, the robot leg woman!" I stuck my arms straight out and started doing a kind of march, making a "Rrrrr, rrrrr" sound. "I-am-Lynn. Who-are-you?" I said in a choppy robot voice.

"Hahaha, Mommy, can we keep the robot?!" Elicia turned to her mother.

"I-am-only-visiting, Eart- I mean, Amestris-ling." I almost said Earthling, but I caught myself.

"Come on, let's play!" Elicia grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into the house.

"Hello, Ms. Gracia, thanks Mr. Maes!" I called back as I was dragged around again.

. . . . . . . . . .

After Lynn had left, Mustang had sensed Brother's upset nature and changed the topic to the Freezing Alchemist. Brother was now going off about how we never had time to look for the Philosopher's stone.

I was wondering how Lynn was doing. Would she really be alright? She knew nothing about Amestris.

Suddenly, a man burst in through the door.

"Roy! How goes! Heard you let 'em put you in charge of catching the Freezer, huh? That's one hell of a nasty assignment. But hey, could be that chance for you to earn that promotion! Oh, say, looks like my timing was perfect!" The man noticed Brother and I. "You two are the Elric brothers, right? Wow, it's an honor to finally meet the youngest state alchemist ever. You're a real legend around here. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, a pleasure." He shook my hand rapidly. I knew Brother was not going to take this well.

"Uh, you want Edward. I'm actually his younger brother, Alphonse." Maes released my hands.

"What? You're the Fullmetal Alchemist?!" He turned to Brother's enraged figure. "Sorry, I had no idea you'd be so..."

I knew what Brother was thinking. Probably something like, "Go on, say little, I dare you!"

"Hughes, what are you doing here, go home!" Mustang interrupted.

"Actually, I'm here on official business. You, Elrics," He turned to Brother and I. "I understand that you two don't have a place to stay. Which means you'll have to come with me." His glasses flashed ominously. He whipped out a photo of two females, a woman and little girl. "My wife Gracia and my daughter Elicia would love to have you!"

Well, that was good. Now we'd have a place to stay. But what about Lynn? We couldn't just leave her in the cold. Especially when the Freeze alchemist was still on the loose...

"Sounds good. Al, you up for it?" Brother stood and stretched.

"I guess so. But-"

"Then it's settled! Come with me!" Hughes dragged us off before I could even mention Lynn.

***time jump to Hughes house***

"Hello, my little princess!"

"Daddy, your beard is itchy!"

Hughes had enveloped an adorable little girl in a hug, and they were nuzzling each other affectionately.

"Look, we have more guests!"

_ More guests?_

"These are the Elric brothers."

"Big brother," Elicia pointed at me. "Little brother!" She pointed at Brother. I prepared to grab Brother in case he lunged at the little girl. He handled it pretty well, at first.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Edward Elric. This is my younger brother, Alphonse Elric. Get that?" He clenched his fist. "Youn-ger bro-ther."

"But younger means little. You're little."

"GRRRR! WHO'RE YOU CALLING LITTLE, YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR!" Brother went nuts. I grabbed him.

"Thank you for letting us stay, it's very nice of you." I told Ms. Gracia.

"I hope you boys are hungry. Gracia's cooking is delicious!"

"Oh, I had a little help today." Gracia smiled. "Is the table set?" She called into the house, shutting the door.

"Yes, ma'am!" I heard a familiar voice, and my heart leapt. Well, actually I don't have a heart, but you know what I mean. Brother and I sat down at a deliciously filled table of food. I wished I could eat some.

Lynn came out of the kitchen, putting a keish on the table.

"There," She said. "All done." Then she noticed me. "Alphonse! You're here!" She paused. "And Ed's here, too!" She said the second part just as cheery as the first part, but I noticed her smile faltered, like she was still upset over what Brother had said earlier.

"Uuooh! This looks delicious!" Lynn sat down next to me, and smiled at Brother's words.

"Ms. Gracia and I made dinner today." She smiled at Gracia, and Gracia gave her a brilliant smile back. Brother dug in, shouting praise while consuming large quantities of food.

"Alphonse, how're you gonna eat with that armor on? Take it off, relax!"

Uh oh.

. . . . . . . . . .

I saw Ed and Al stiffen, Ed looking panicked a little.

"He's not allowed to, he has to wear it all the time! It's, uh, it's part of his alchemy training, you know how it is! I'll eat enough for both of us!" Edward spoke quickly.

"Training! Choo choo!" Elicia cried out happily. Sensing that Alphonse desperately wanted to not talk about this, I changed the subject, giving him a curious look.

"So, Mr. Maes, what room will we be staying in?"

"Oh, right, we only have one guest room." Maes looked thoughtfully at Gracia.

"Now, Maes, you should've thought of that." She chided, smiling.

"Ah, it's all good, I can go." I gave (what I hoped was) a convincing smile, my heart sinking. "Edward and Alphonse need a place to stay today, but I can find shelter at a hotel or inn or something."

"Nonsense, we can pull out a mattress or something."

"The couch is free." Maes put in.

"You wouldn't make a lady sleep on the couch, would you?" Gracia scolded him again.

"It's alright, I'll take the couch." I smiled a much more heartfelt smile at Gracia, excited that I wouldn't have to sleep outside.

"Alright then, that's settled! Ed and Al can take the guest room, which has two beds." Maes grinned, and I smiled, too. This was gonna be great.

Everyone dug in, eating.

Later, I changed into a nightgown Gracia gave me in their guest bathroom and grabbed a blanket Maes had left for me. The nightgown was too short for my liking. It stopped at my knees, showing my mangled legs. It also was had straps, but it showed my shoulderblades, which had scars on them from Mother. I did not want anyone to see these, so I planned to wake earlier than anyone else to change back into my old clothes quickly. But enough of that, I was tired.

Snuggling down on the couch, I fell asleep, preparing to dream.

I dreamt that Al and I were in armor, he in his normal armor of course and I in some awesome armor to match (but it fit me). We were riding red horses, red like the color of Ed's jacket, and we galloped to a tower. A dragon with the head of Colonel Mustang was breathing fire, but Al and I pulled out swords and leapt off our horses. I noticed that when I landed on the ground, I was steady on my feet, and there was nothing wrong with my legs. I grinned. I saw Edward was standing in the tower window, wearing a red and black dress and one of those cone hats with the lace on top that you see princesses wearing sometimes. The hat was black, too, and the lace was red. He was yelling about not being little, and holding a giggling Elicia in his arms. Al started battling the dragon while I ran up the tower steps, feeling energetic and fast.

I burst into Princess Edward's room, sword in hand. I was about to tell him that I was here to rescue him, when he spoke.

"Go away, I don't have time to babysit some girl! I have to go find the sword in the Philosopher's stone; Excalibur!" He glared at me.

"Robot legs woman, I thought you can't walk?" Elicia looked at me curiously. My face fell.

That's right. I can't walk very well, can I? I can't run up stairs. I can't jump or play or fight dragons. I can't even rescue some man-princess and his little girl-sister. I need braces on my legs just to help me stand.

"Useless! You're completely useless!" Said Edward.

"No, I'm not, I can fight! Let me show you, please!" I begged, but then I was falling down a black hole, hearing the taunts of schoolmates, hearing Edward yelling at me, hearing Alphonse becoming upset because I didn't help him fight, hearing my mother screaming in rage at me. I put my hands in front of my face to shield myself.

"Lynn?"

"Ah!" I shot up, covered in sweat, the blanket falling from my shoulders to only cover my legs and lap. I saw Maes Hughes had shaken me awake, and was now staring in shock at the scars that were all over my shoulders and arms. There was one on the back of my neck, too, but he couldn't see that one. He also couldn't see the scars on my back or torso or legs. All he saw was my shoulders and arms, and he was horrified. I grabbed the blanket and pulled it up again.

"You were having a nightmare, and I thought I'd wake you." He said, relaxing.

"Don't tell! Don't tell Alphonse or Edward. Don't tell them about- about what you saw. Please?" I stared at the floor.

"Okay." I looked up and saw him smiling gently at me. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, but thank you." I shivered a little. "I'm sorry I interrupted your sleep. I didn't wake Elicia or Gracia, did I?" I got worried. I remembered that sometimes toddlers got really cranky when they awoke before they were ready.

"No, you didn't wake anyone. I was already up, worrying about those boys." He frowned. "State alchemists are often called the dogs of the military, did you know that?" He sat down on the floor.

"No. I'm still not quite sure what a state alchemist is, but being called a dog doesn't seem very nice."

"It's not. State alchemists are sometimes hated just for being state alchemists."

"Like racism and prejudice and stuff." I mused.

"What?" He looked up.

"Nothing, go on, sorry." I felt embarrassed, my face turning a little red.

"Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be hated so much at that age."

"Not fun." I muttered, thinking back to when the kids in school used to tease me because of my leg braces.

"You know about hatred, then?" Maes glanced up at me again.

"Ah- I mean, you'd think it would suck, ya know?" I tried to cover my error. I didn't want him feeling pity for me. He smiled, like he knew that I was lying.

"Mm-hmm." He was quiet for a moment, staring off into the distance. Then he stood and patted my head. "Get some rest, kiddo. Sweet dreams." He walked away, and I pondered hatred for a moment before falling into a dreamless slumber.

. . . . . . . . . .

**Mmmkay, sorry if this was kind of long, but whatever. This fanfic was made entirely for my and a friend of mine's appreciation. If she ends up not liking it, then it's for my appreciation. Anyone else can enjoy it too, of course.**

**I guess what I'm trying to say is that fling your hate bombs and stink bombs or whatever. I have a wall of awesomeness protecting me. :P**

**Reviews, comments, cheesecakes, all are welcome!**

**~Rabbit**


	2. Freezy Tries To Kill Us All

**Alright, chapter two is upon us!**

**I don't own Edward or Alphonse or Mustang or Hughes or ...**

**(you get the picture)**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Good morning, Al!" I stretched.

"How was your sleep, Brother?"

"Not so good." I shuddered, recalling the nightmare. I had been forced by Lynn to try on hundreds of dresses, and she finally settled on a monstrosity of a red and black dress, and some cone hat that was black with red lace. Maes, Gracia, Elicia, Riza Hawkeye, and Alphonse had applauded me as I was forced to walk in it, and Mustand was laughing his head off.

I heard a knock on the door, and I opened it a crack and peered out with only my head showing, not wanting anyone to see my automail arm or leg. Maes Hughes was standing there with a worried expression on his face.

"Did you two ever catch Freezer?" He asked.

"Yeah, but he got away, why?"

"I found this note this morning, and I was worried about Lynn." He held up a note. I read it aloud for Alphonse. It read,

_Dear Mr. Maes and Ms. Gracia,_

_ T__hank you for all that you have done for me. I don't want to burden you any further, so I have departed. I folded the blanket and left it on the couch, along with the nightgown you graciously provided me. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Tell Al, Ed, and Elicia I said hello._

_ Sincerely,_

_L__ynn Grey_

_P. S. For Maes eyes only: don't forget your promise_

"What did you promise?"

"Brother, why would you read the part that was only for Lieutenant Colonel Hughes's eyes?" Al scolded. Hughes just looked nervous.

"It doesn't matter. But the Freezer alchemist was wearing a military uniform, remember? She could see him and think he's nice and ask for directions. You know she doesn't know anything about this city. She could get hurt."

"Damn, why do we always have to get involved in this stuff?" I sighed. "We'll go look for her, lemme get dressed."

A while later, we were out on the streets. Five soldiers were dead, and one steamed corpse was before us.

"How awful," Al murmured.

"Looks like a steam explosion. Raise the temperature of water fast enough and it expands with the force of a bomb blast, and the human body is 70% water." I paused. "Let's hurry. We have to find him before he hurts anyone else." A vision of Lynn's steamed body came to mind, worrying me.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Hmm.." I turned around, wondering where to go next.

I saw a man in the same uniform Mustang and Hughes wore drawing something on the ground. It looked like a circle design of some sort. I ran over to him.

"Finished." He muttered, before looking up at me. "What do you want?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me. I was looking for the train station, and-"

BOOM!

A bunch of stone arrows burst out of the wall, one just missing me because it was in front of me by a centimeter or so. They would've impaled him if he hadn't jumped back.

"Impressive reflexes," A deep voice boomed. "You are able to dodge my alchemy so easily."

"I know that voice." The soldier-man growled. "Is that you, Armstrong?"

"Indeed!" A metal-gloved fist punched through the brick wall, and I almost screamed. I fell to the side, crawling away. I had a feeling that I was getting in over my head. "None other." The wall exploded and a man walked through. "It is I, the Strong Arm Alchemist, Alex Lois Armstrong in the flesh."

"Ah, shut it!" The soldier-man jumped back and then slammed his palm in the ground, sending a line of ice or water or something at the muscle man. He dodged. "I've always wanted to chop that ego down to size!"

"What the heck?!" These people were crazy. Armstrong turned and saw me, and assumed a protective guarding position.

"Civilians must run away!" He proclaimed. "You'll need far more than water to quench my fists!" Things started blowing up as they fought.

I couldn't run away. What was I going to do?

"Major!" I heard Alphonse call out, and I saw he and Edward running to join the fighting.

"Alphonse, Edward, run away!" I screamed.

"Lynn! What're you doing here?!" Al looked through the smoke, trying to find me. The frost guy threw a canteen that exploded, and I impulsively tackled him as he ran, hoping to stop him. I'm pretty sure Alphonse protected Ed from the blast with his armor. I didn't know, I was too busy clinging for dear life to the running man's back. I didn't weigh much, except for my legs, so I'm pretty sure I didn't slow him down.

I was being kidnapped by this guy. He had ran for a while, and then realized I was clinging to his back. "What the heck?"

"Uh... hi?"

"Who're you?"

"Lynn. Who're you?"

"The Freeze Alchemist." My heart froze (get it? I know, I might be about to die and I make a joke. Silly me.) at that name. Maes had said that Mustang had to catch this guy. Did that mean he was a criminal? "Why are you on my back?"

"I grabbed you when you attacked Ed and Al."

"So you're on their side?" He grabbed me by the throat and started choking me, before he stopped. "You could be a hostage. I'll keep you alive for now. Come." He released my throat and I gasped for air. He picked me up and carried me under his arm. We ran some from alley to alley until night had fallen, and then we went up on a rooftop. He put me down close to the edge. I took that as a warning that if I tried anything funny, he'd shove me off.

"It's been a long time, Freezer." He and I turned and saw Mustang with a bunch of armed soldiers.

"Well, well. Roy Mustang. So the Flame Alchemist came out to play."

"You can make this easy on both of us. I don't want to shoot a civilian, and I don't want to fight an old war buddy."

"War buddy? Please, don't flatter yourself. I knew no friends in Ishval." There they go again, talking about stuff I have no clue about. "Only military bastards and their damn dogs!"

Mustang snapped his fingers and flames shot out at us. Freezeman blocked it with water from a pipe, and then made more pipes from all around shoot up water. He drenched Mustang in it.

"When water meets flame, the flame goes out." He grabbed me, ignoring my cry of protest, and made a bridge of ice and ran across it.

"Damn you and your lame sayings!" I yelled at him, beating on him with my fists.

"Cut that out!" He slapped the back of my head, making me see stars.

Eventually he ran and found an old circle-pattern and uncovered it. "Still there! Perfect!"

"Stop right there!" Cried Ed. "I was wondering what you were doing in this alley so I came back to check it out, and bingo!"

"There's nowhere to run this time!" Alphonse was standing in Freezeman's path.

"Run, this guy can freeze stuff!" Not my most eloquent language, I know, but I was scared.

"Clearly, but who's running?" He raised his hands and the circle started glowing. I moved back, startled. Red lightening started coming from all around. I screamed. Ed and Al were talking about a Philosopher's stone or something. I didn't know. I grabbed the Freezeman, trying to choke him. He threw me off, slamming me against the wall. My vision went a little blurry.

"Edward Elric, dog of the military. But do you really know the ones you serve or their true plans?"

"Who cares? It's not my problem. You've been killing people and you hurt Lynn."

"Don't be a fool!" Freezer yelled. "You'll lead us all to ruin! I'm only doing what needs to be done!"

"I told you I don't care!"

Alphonse leapt over the wall of ice that had formed next to me and almost jumped on Freezo. I tried to get up and move out of the way, but I realized that one of my leg braces had been frozen to the ground. I looked for a rock or something. Al kicked the guy into a fence.

"Alright! Nice work, Al!" Edward cheered.

"But we still have to stop his alchemy!"

"I know. So where is it? You have a philosopher's stone, don't you?"

"What're you talking about?" Freezer spat.

"I won't ask again, where is it?"

"What're you going to do? You're out of your league!" The pool of water rose up and a wall of ice started going towards Al and Ed. Freezer grabbed onto it. Armstrong came to get rid of it, yelling about generations or something. Suddenly, the ice crashed through buildings and started messing up the place.

"What're you doing?! You're making it worse!" Edward started yelling at Armstrong. Meanwhile, I had freed myself and I struggled to my feet.

"Shit's about to go down." I grinned faintly, wincing at the bruises on my back and head from wear I had hit the wall.

"Major! Al and I will distract him. You handle the transmutation circles."

"Consider them erased."

"Hmm, erase the circles, huh?" I hobbled over to the nearest one and spit on it, rubbing my saliva on the chalk with my foot, smearing the circle. I did that for a minute until it looked like a white blob on the ground. I noticed Ed and Al fighting Freeze-o-rama up on the walls of ice, so I hobbled faster until I caught up with the major. "Let me help you erase the circles!"

"What? Civilians must run-"

"It'll go faster if you have two people."

"Oh, fine." He sighed, and we ran in two different directions, following the red lighting to the circles. I'm pretty sure he punched 'em or something. I just smeared 'em around and drew completely white squares over them with some extra chalk I found next to one of the circles.

Eventually, they were all gone. The huge wall of ice suddenly collapsed. The building in the center of the city was covered in ice, but it shattered and went back to normal. I wondered if Al and Ed had made it off the ice. Suddenly, Armstrong picked me up and carried me, running.

"Ah! What're you doing!"

"Mustang! We have gotten rid of all the transmutation circles!" A soaked Mustang was standing with an arm outstretched, looking like he was about to snap his fingers, but the wall of ice in front of him had shattered.

"Just when he was about to do his flames, too. Took us long enough to get the suitcase with dry gloves. It's bad enough that he's useless on rainy days." The blonde woman from earlier in the day sighed.

"Gah- Hold on, 'we'?" He turned and saw me under Armstrong's strong arm (I know, I'm just a bucket of laughs). I waved.

"Good to see you, Colonel." I gave a nervous giggle. I had been cut by some of the shards of ice that had fallen earlier, and blood was streaming from my forehead into my right eye. There were also numerous bleeding cuts on my arms, joining the old scars that had been covered up by my jacket (I had somehow lost it. To this day I have no idea where it went).

"Lynn Grey? What the hell? Never mind. We have to find Fullmetal and Freeze."

"And Alphonse." I added. Nobody ever seemed to mention him, just Ed.

"Right, Alphonse too." Mustang gave me a strange look.

Eventually, we found Ed and Al standing in front of a corpse under a sheet, with military guys all around. A guy with an eyepatch was there, talking to them. Armstrong let me down.

"Mustang and I should go. You say hello to them, yes?"

"Yes, thank you. Alphonse! Edward!" I hobble-ran to them almost tripping, but Al caught me.

"Lynn, are you alright?" I gave him a hug.

"Thank goodness you two are okay. When I saw you fighting him-" Tears filled my eyes. I released Al and gave Ed a hug as well. He looked like he had been caught off guard.

"And who is this, now?" The eyepatch man smiled at me.

"This is Lynn, a friend of ours from the country." Ed answered quickly. That confused me. Why would he lie?

"Nice to meet you, Miss Lynn."

"Nice to meet you too." I paused. "Are you a pirate?" I blurted out, not thinking. Edward blanched, and all the military guys turned and stared at me. They were pale, too. I wondered if I had done something wrong.

"No, what made you think that?" He gave a small chuckle. Seeing as he was alright, I kept speaking.

"You, know, you have that cool eyepatch and all. I guess you don't have a parrot then, either, huh?" I felt oddly disappointed. Everybody was looking at me like I was crazy.

"Welp, that's all for now, thanks for taking care of him, Fuhrer." Ed clapped his hand over my head and dragged me away. I was startled.

"Fuhrer? That's German for leader, isn't it?" I let that sink in as Ed and Al pulled me away. "Did I just insult the leader of this country?!"

"Shaddup, will ya? Can you not walk faster?" I suddenly got ticked off. I had helped them win by destroying circles, and Edward had to be rude and complain about something that wasn't even my fault.

"It's not like I asked to be like this!" I snarled, pulling away. I then saw Ed's arm, which looked like it had been stabbed by something pointy. He was bleeding. "EDWARD ELRIC! YOU DID NOT TELL ME YOU WERE INJURED! WE HAVE TO GET YOU TO A HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY! Alphonse, carry your brother to the nearest hospital, stat!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Al scooped up Edward and started running. I didn't even mind that he left me behind. Watching Edward yell about how he could walk on his own and wasn't that injured was entertaining enough.

***time jump to the next day. Ed is in the hospital.***

"Greetings, Edward Elric. When I heard you were in the hospital, I JUST RAN OVER." Armstrong put his bouquet of roses down after his outburst. I followed in behind him, wearing a military jacket with my old clothes (I found a spare in Mustang's office and stole it. I don't like stealing, but I don't want people to see my scars, either). I gave a hesitant wave.

"Hey, guys." They were scared of Armstrong and were cowering.

"You're in desperate need of my assistance." Armstrong took of his jacket to reveal that he wasn't wearing a shirt, and he had the most ripped muscles I had ever seen. I blushed and put my hands in front of my face. Edward and Alphonse started screaming. "You need the example of a perfect physical specimen to inspire your recovery. You see? You're looking livelier already. AHAHAHAHA."

"Will you get OUT?!" Edward yelled. I laughed.

Eventually Armstrong left, and I stayed behind to keep the boys company.

"Why're you here?"

"Well gee, thanks for being grateful. I've come to relieve you of your boredom!" I laughed, and then noticed Edward's arm (I know, slow me is slow).

"Edward! You did not tell me you lost an arm yesterday and had to get a prosthetic!" I threw my hands in the air.

"What're you talking about? I've had automail since I was ten or so." Edward focused his attention on me.

"Is that what you call prosthetics? Automail? That's cool."

"Speaking of automail, are your legs automail? After you had left Maes Hughes's house, Elicia was upset because "robot leg woman" had left."

"Oh, yeah, I, uh, made up a name for myself so she'd like me."

"And you can't walk very well and your steps are heavy." Edward continued, ignoring my interruption.

"I'm- I-" I faltered. I didn't want them to see my mangled, twisted, scarred legs, a gift from my Mother (and no, not from genetics).

"Brother, don't pry." Alphonse came to my rescue.

"Ah, guess what! I'm going to teach you a fun game!" I grinned, changing the subject.

"Hey, you didn't give us time to guess." Edward frowned.

"Alright, so here are the rules..."

And so I taught them the card game Hearts.

I had avoided the topic of my legs for one day, but what would I do when problems arose again?

. . . . . . . . . .

**Woah, almost this entire chapter was written in Lynn's POV.**

**And for my fans of _Spearing Daisies_, do not worry, I have not abandoned it.**

**Until next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	3. Medical Bills And Gods

**Lynn will finally discover Ed and Al's..._body issues_, we'll say, in Liore, just like Rose does.**

**I'm just sort of randomly deciding how I want this story to go. It'll probably go from last chapter to the manga plotline. Just go with it, neh?**

**I WISH I OWNED EDWARD ELRIC, DAMNIT**

**Unfortunately, I don't. The only thing in any of these chapters that I actually own is Lynn. Yup.**

**Chapter three has been written!**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Fullmetal, I can't believe you had the audacity to send me both of the medical bills."

I sat in front of Colonel Mustang's desk, wondering if he had a mission for me, not really paying attention to what he was saying. Al was taking Lynn on a tour of the city while I was stuck here. Booooriiiing.

Then I did a double take and thought about what he said.

"What do you mean, _both _medical bills? There should've only been one." I frowned.

"Then Lynn Grey was not treated by the hospital recently for cuts, bruises, a minor concussion, etc? Thanks to the Freezer? None of that happened?" Mustang teased.

"I didn't know her wounds were so serious that she went to the hospital! She never told me!" I growled, then calmed. "Did the hospital say what was wrong with her legs, then?"

Mustang paused. "They took pictures while she was sleeping. She fainted after walking to an officer, asking for directions to a doctor, after YOU TWO left her behind to treat your own injuries."

"Ah- oh, yeah.."

"They took pictures of her legs and her...older injuries scattered all over her body."

"Older injuries?"

"Scars." Mustang said bluntly.

"Where would she get scars from? I would assume that 2013 or whenever she's from would be safer than now."

"I would think that she'd have gotten the scars from whoever messed up her legs. It doesn't seem to be a genetic problem."

"Hmm. I wonder why she didn't tell us anything." I mused.

"Have you told her about Alphonse being hollow or your two automail limbs?" Mustang asked bluntly.

"Well, no, but-"

"Everyone has secrets, Edward." He paused, allowing me to think on that statement. "Now, the reason why I called you here today was not because I have a mission for you, but because I need you to keep an eye on Lynn." He raised a hand, stopping my protests. "There simply aren't enough military people to keep an eye on her, and who knows, maybe she could help you look for the Philosopher's stone. Plus, I don't want to have to deal with the paperwork involved in telling the Fuhrer that she's from 2013."

That was one of the reasons why I had lied to Bradley about Lynn being from the country. He could torture her for information, or leave her but still give me or Mustang the paperwork to use to get her legal citizenship, or force us to stop looking for the Philosopher's stone so we could find a way to send her back.

"Fine, I'll keep an eye on her. But I'm not babying her. If she can't keep up then we'll leave her behind."

"And if you can't keep up if your automail breaks? Will she leave you behind?"

I had no answer for that.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Gee, Al, this is fun!" I said, grinning with glee. Alphonse had been taking me on a tour of the city, showing me all kinds of places, and the two of us even discovered some new places. Al helped with the reconstruction of damaged areas and started teaching me about alchemy.

"It is, isn't it?" Alphonse laughed. We both walked (I hobbled, blah blah blah) through the city, ignoring the looks we got. My legs were growing tired, and I had a sudden thought.

"Alphonse, are you really strong?"

"Yes."

"Really really strong?"

"Mm-hm."

"Then carry me on your shoulders!" I paused, then added a "Please."

"Huh? Okay." Al picked me up like I was a rag doll and plopped me on his armored shoulders.

"Woooaaah! This is AWESOME!" I could see everything. I was so high in the air.

"Do you really think so?" Alphonse was startled.

"Hell to the yes!" I grinned. "I can't wait to show Edward. He'd love being this tall." I paused, uncertainty creeping in my voice. "Does Edward hate me? Do you hate me, Alphonse?"

"We don't hate you! You've been nothing but kind to us, how could we hate you?" Alphonse exclaimed.

"Well, Edward got really upset when he learned that he was in charge of my well being, and he hates that I'm so slow." I mused. "Not that I can blame him for either of those things." I added bitterly.

"Brother and I are in a hurry to accomplish some things, and I guess he was worried that your being around would make our progress a little slower." Alphonse said hesitantly.

"I'll learn how to fight, don't worry! I'll keep up!" I grinned uncertainly, false bravado in my voice.

"You don't have to do that. We don't want to put you under too much strain."

"But I want to help. I don't want to be some worthless lump with metal on her legs that you've been forced to drag around."

"Don't worry, Lynn. You'll be fine. We can keep you safe." He paused. "Besides, I'm curious about the world that you're from. You have to tell us lots of stories."

"Of course, Alfonzo." I grinned, for real this time, a small chuckle escaping my lips.

"Alfonzo?" Al sounded confused.

"Hey, you guys!" Edward was running up to us, red cape streaming behind him. "I found a lead!" He came to an abrupt stop, putting his hands on his knees and panting. He waved three slips of paper in the air, gasping for breath.

"Are you sure, Brother?" Alphonse sounded excited. I just sat there looking confused.

"Absol...utely...sure." He panted. "Got...train tickets. Train...leaves tomor...tomorrow." He stood. "Whew." He had caught his breath. Then he saw me sitting waaaay above him and he flipped out. "What the heeeeelllll?! Totally not fair, Lynn! You were taller than me already, you're not allowed to be _that _tall!"

"Come on, Eddo, let me live a little." I grinned. "What is it you have a lead on?"

Both Ed and Al paused. "Remember how I said we have to accomplish some things?" Al began nervously.

"It's classified." Ed muttered shortly. I felt rather sad that they didn't trust me quite yet, but all in good time. Good things come to those who wait.

And it's not like I've completely revealed everything to them, either.

"Well, where are we going?" I asked impatiently.

"A town called Liore."

***time jump to Liore***

The train ride to Liore had been okay. I slept a lot, and Ed and Al and I played Hearts.

We got there and went to a cafe. Religious messages were being broadcasted over a radio. Now, I'm not exactly religious (I'm not), but I believe that tolerance, no matter what you believe in, is the best policy. Ed seemed to be downright rude about the whole thing, though.

"Messenger of god? What's that?" He muttered darkly over a plate of food.

"I ought to say the same thing about you. Are you street performers?" The mustached man at the counter raised an eyebrow. We weren't that weird, were we?

I was wearing my baggy blue jeans, my sneakers, my Epic Purple Shirt, and a badass black leathery jacket that I had zipped up to cover my shirt. I was wearing my leg braces, too, of course, but one of the reasons why I wore baggy pants all the time is so I can wear the braces under my pants and they won't stick out much. My long, silver-grey hair was tied in a ponytail, but I had two long locks still hanging in front **(think Kanda Yu's hairstyle from D. Gray Man but without the bangs, plus her hair is grey, ya know)**. Ed and Al were dressed like they normally were. I seemed to be the only one who changed clothes, albeit only a little, on a daily basis (but maybe Ed has multiple sets of the same outfit, I wouldn't know).

"Okay, pops, what part of us looks like street performers?"

"Ed, don't be rude!" I chided.

"I keep looking, but that's all you could be. I don't see people with your faces around these parts often. Are you tourists?"

"He's got a point." I muttered.

"Shaddup, nobody asked you." I fell silent, knowing that Ed was just ticked at being called a street performer. He wasn't trying to be mean. "We're just looking for something." He responded to Mr. Mustachio.

"Anyway, what's with this broadcast?" I asked.

"Haven't you heard of Father Cornello?"

"Eh?" Ed, Al, and I chorused. Everybody at the cafe started saying how he could perform miracles, was the founder of something called "Letoism", was super amazing, etc.

"You three ain't listenin'," observed mustache man.

"I'm not really interested in religion." I murmured.

"We should get going." Ed said.

As Al was standing up, he bumped his head on the ceiling and knocked over a radio, breaking it. People started getting upset, so Al drew what I had learned was called a "transmutation circle" and fixed it. The people got excited again, saying it was the "power of god" and so on and so forth. Ed had to explain that it was just alchemy, and then everybody mistook Alphonse for the Fullmetal Alchemist. It was rather sad, really, that since Eddo was so short he was always mistaken for the younger of the two. Ed yelled about that and the people apologized.

Then a girl came around with groceries. She wished Ed good luck on finding what he was looking for and vanished just as fast as she had came.

"Rose has been in such better spirits, all thanks to the founder."

That brought perverted things to mind, but I squashed the thoughts and listened to the conversation. They discussed how she had no relatives, and her boyfriend died recently, but Letoism says that Leto can resurrect the dead.

"That sounds fishy." Edward murmured.

Later we encountered Rose in the church. She scolded Edward for being an atheist.

"That's not good! By believing in God, you'll live with daily gratitude and hope. Isn't that wonderful?" She almost sparkled with holy rays.

"Not necessarily true. Hope is not something found everywhere, no matter whether you believe in God or not." I muttered darkly. Alphonse looked over at me, and I swear to this day that I saw concern in those red embers of his eyes.

"Jeez, how can you believe something like that?" Ed sat on a pew. "Pray to god and the dead will come back, huh?"

"Yes, without a doubt."

"35 liters of water, 25 kilograms of carbon, 4 liters of ammonia, 1.5 kilograms of lime, 800 grams of phosphorus, 250 grams of salt, 100 grams of saltpeter, 80 grams of sulfur, 7.5 grams of fluorine, 5 grams of iron, 3 grams of silicone, and a little bit of 15 other elements.." Edward spoke aloud.

"Huh?" Rose and I looked confused, though it was only Rose who spoke.

"That is the body of a single human adult. Scientist discerned that much, but there has not been one successful human transmutation ever reported. There's something missing. I guess you could say its been a wasted effort, but it's better than idly sitting and praying." He paused, closing a small notebook. "You can buy all that stuff with the pocket money of a little kid, so I guess you could say human beings are pretty cheap to make!" He grinned lightly, though I could sense a darkness there. Something I feared.

"A person isn't a thing! You're being disrespectful to Leto, the Creator!" Rose ranted. "You'll incur the wrath of God!"

"Scientists don't believe in god. We seek to explain things. We seek truth. Ironic, though, seeing as we don't believe in god, yet we're the closest beings to god."

"That's arrogant. You think of yourself as god's equal?"

"Oh, oh, I know this one!" I chimed in, an old tale Grams told me springing to my head. "There was once a hero who flew with wings made of metal and wax. He flew too close to the sun, and his wings melted and he plummeted to the sea and drowned. I think that's how it goes. His name, in the tale, was Icarus, if I'm remembering correctly."

"Not sure about the whole name thing, but yeah, I've heard that story." Mused Ed.

"Yes!" I punched the air vertically. "Something in common!" Rose just looked confused.

The next day, we went to a big gathering with confetti. People were cheering for some old guy who made flowers appear out of thin air and stuff.

"So you three came! Do you see? Father Cornello performs miracles because he's the son of god!" I'm all for tolerance, you know, but even that sounded a little fishy. This whole Letoism thing was leaning toward cult.

"Nope, he's a fake. That's alchemy." Edward said bluntly.

"But Brother, he's ignoring the law."

"Law?" Asked Rose.

Al started rambling about all this alchemy stuff that had flown over my head the first time I heard it (until Al had explained it to me slower). It appeared to be going over Rose's head now.

"Ooh, ooh, I got this one!" I grinned. "Equivalent exchange. You have to give something to get something, you know? But Cornello the Corn Guy didn't exchange stuff of equal value, did he."

"Corn Guy?" Ed looked amused.

"Make some sense! Do you believe in the power of miracles or not?!" Rose was mad.

"Brother, maybe it's.."

"Yeah." Ed narrowed his eyes. He then turned to Rose, turning into a happy-go-lucky kid. "Miss, I'm interested in this religion. Can I speak to the founder?"

"Oh, so you've finally become believers! Yes, of course!" Rose looked like she had won the lottery or something. I almost snorted, knowing full well what total BS the whole "interested" thing was. He just wanted to get to the guy who's name sounded like corn.

Yes, I remembered his name. I always remember names. I just like giving people nicknames, okay?

Rose led us to the church, where we waited until a muscly man came to escort us. He wasn't like Major Armstrong, but he was thick.

"Let's end this quickly, shall we?" The man grinned evily and pointed a gun in Al's eye.

"No," I whispered.

He pulled the trigger.

Al's helmet shot clean off, sending his armored body crashing against the floor. Rose gasped.

"ALPHONSE!" I screamed, tears welling in my eyes. I started to run over to him, when two guards grabbed me and held me back. I struggled violently, to no avail. Two other guards had crossed their spears in front of Edward, who glared at the gun-wielding man.

"How could you do this!" Rose yelled. I saw the man point his gun at Edward's head.

"This is how the Father wants it." He grinned. "The word of the founder is the word of god."

"Edward! No, stop, don't shoot, don't-"

"Oh? That's a mean god."

Alphonse stood up and pushed the man's gun down. Edward started beating up the two guards that had restrained him, and then beat the crap out of my guards.

"Edward, Alphonse, thank goodness you're okay!" I paused, turning back to Alphonse. "Hold up-"

Al did not have a body.

"Wha-?!" Rose cried out. I didn't say much.

_ "You're weird! Your legs are funny!" _I suddenly heard my classmates saying that, teasing me about my appearance. I looked at Al, taking it all in, and then saw a guy coming up behind him. I picked up Al's head and threw it at the guy, knocking him out.

"My head!" Al cried, running after it.

"It's always like this." Ed began. "We encroached upon god's domain. I have problems, too."

"You too, Ed?" Rose looked at them both in horror.

"You've seen how awful god is now, right Rose?" I motioned to the guys lying unconscious on the floor, changing the subject because I felt Ed's discomfort.

"No, there must be some mistake!" I facepalmed. Edward looked ticked.

"Gee, the lady's already seen this much and she still believes in that fraud of a founder." Ed said, annoyed.

"Lynn, are you okay?" Al reached out a hesitant hand, as if afraid of how I'd react.

"I'm alright." I brushed away my tears with one hand and took his hand in mine with the other."Alright, Rose, lets go show you the truth."

A few minutes later, Ed, Al and I stood in front of the doors to a large room. We entered, to see Cornello standing nearby, watching us.

"Have you come to learn?"

"Yeah, I want you to tell us a bunch." Edward smirked.

"Like tricking your believers with cheap alchemy tricks!" I snarled.

"Hmm, lumping my power of miracles with alchemy could pose a but of a problem." He scratched his head.

"You're using the Philosopher's Stone, aren't you?" Edward accused. Cornello stopped scratching.

"It's the ring!" I pointed at a ring on his hand with a deep red gemstone in it.

"I expected no less of state alchemists."

"Hey, there's only one state alchemist in the room, baldy." I muttered.

"It's true that my miracles were performed using that stone. I can do anything with it." He smiled, ignoring me completely.

"I've been looking for that." Edward snarled.

Cornell's started ranting about how he was going to take over the country or some BS like that. I got annoyed.

Then Edward dis something amazing.

"Nope, don't care." He said.

"WHAAAT?! Don't go waving of my magnificent plans with a 'don't care'!" He shouted, enraged. I snickered.

"I'll get to the point. Give me the stone and I won't tell anyone you're a fraud."

"My stupid followers won't believe a word you say! They love me! They would die for me, the idiots!" He laughed.

"Great speech, founder Corn-for-brains." I clapped. "They may not listen to the stuff that we'd say, but what about the stuff she'd say?" I gestured over to Al, who removed his breastplate to reveal Rose, who had been listening the entire time.

"EEEHH?! Rose, what're you doing here?!"

"Founder, is everything you just said true?! Does this mean you're not going to bring him back?!" Rose climbed out of Al (that sounds so wrong) and looked like she was about to cry.

"I may have lied about being the messenger of god," Cornello began. "But with this stone, your lover could be resurrected!" He grinned evily.

"Rose, don't listen!" Al cried.

"Come here, child."

"If you go, you can never come back!" Yelled Edward.

"What're you doing, Rose? You're one of us, are you not?"

"Don't make this mistake, Rose!" I yelled.

"I am the only one who can do this! Think of your beloved!" Rose started trembling. "Well?" Cornello beckoned with his hand.

Rose walked away from us.

. . . . . . . . . .

**Chappie is getting long, so I'll stop it here. Next chapter will conclude our spotlight on Liore!**

**~Rabbit**


	4. Chimeras Really Scare Me

**And here you go.**

**I own Lynn, and that's about it really.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"I'm sorry, you three. This...this the only thing I can rely on." Rose walked to the Cornello guy.

"Now, I will have to purge these heretics who threaten the future of my religion with haste." He grabbed a lever and pulled it down. I shrieked when I saw it.

"The Philosopher's Stone is rather impressive. It can make things like this. What, you've never seen a chimera before?"

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." I was absolutely terrified. The thing was huge. It was like a lion in the front and a lizard-thing in the back.

"That's right, pray to your god. You'll need it." Cornello grinned evily. I got mad.

"Screw that!" I picked up a rock and threw it at his head. It hit right above his eye and he started to bleed.

"It's a little hard to fight unarmed, so.." Ed clapped his hands and touched the ground with his palms. A glowing electricity came from the spot where he touched the ground, and he pulled a spear out of the ground.

At this point, after learning about alchemy a little from Alphonse, the spear didn't surprise me much. I did discover that Ed didn't use a transmutation circle.

I'd discuss this with them later.

A chimera was trying to kill us. I hadn't forgotten.

It swiped its paw (that had HUGE CLAWS, did I forget to mention that?) and broke Edward's pole, clawing his leg.

"How do claws that can cut through steel feel? Ahahahaha!"

"Edward!" I cried out.

"Sorry, these are made a bit special." Ed grinned as the chimera's claws broke. He lifted his AUTOMAIL LEG for us to see.

"If claws won't work, bite him!" Yelled Cornello.

"Shut up, high-starch vegetable!" I threw another rock at him. It was too late, though. The chimera had already lunged. Luckily, Ed still had that fancy automail right arm o' his.

"What's wrong, cat? Get a real good taste." Ed kicked the beast in the jaw and sent it flying. "Take a long look, Rose! This is human transmutation. The bodies of sinners who breached god's domain." His cloak was in tatters, so he ripped it off to display his automail right arm. His pants were ripped so you could see his automail left leg, too. Al stared at the ground. "Come at me, you third rate bastard!" Ed taunted. "I'll show you the difference between you and me!"

I imagined Ed in a hoodie, saggy jeans, and huge sunglasses flashing gang signs and saying "Come at me bro!" I snickered. Al gave me what I interpreted as a curious look.

"I see, I see. I wondered why the brat was called Fullmetal... It all makes sense now. Rose, these boys have committed the ultimate taboo, human transmutation."

"Don't call him a brat." I muttered. Al put a hand on my shoulder.

"We were positive we could create life, even if it was forbidden. She really was a kind, loving mother, and we just wanted to see her smile again. The transmutation went horribly wrong." He whispered to me. "Brother lost his leg, and I lost my entire body. I fell unconscious.. When I opened my eyes, I saw Brother in a sea of blood. He was missing his arm and leg, and I was in this body. Even while he was suffering, he tried to save me."

"This is what transmuting a human being costs, Rose. You able to do it?! Can you?!" Edward yelled. Rose flinched.

"Hahaha.. And then Edward Elric became a dog of the military!"

"Quit laughing at them, you third rate corn cereal! Without that rock you can't do shit!" I yelled, angry.

"So you want this stone to make the transmutation succeed, huh?" Cornello smirked, shooting me a glare before ignoring me completely.

"As if! We just want our original bodies back!" Edward stretched his automail arm.

"Now, give us the stone before we have to get violent." Alphonse threatened.

"If that just now wasn't violent, then what is?!" I exclaimed incredulously.

"You stupid fools who got too close to god and fell to earth.. I'll send you back to god myself!" Cornello turned his stick into a machine gun and started firing.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Nope, god hates us!" I grinned, a wall of rock in front of me. "Even if you deliver us, he'll just send us right back!"

"Tch." Cornello glared.

"Ah!" Al yelled. I turned. Al was okay. Rose wasn't in blast range. I was fine 'cause I shielded myself.

Lynn had gotten shot because I forgot to protect her. Damn it.

"S'all good here!" She wheezed. "'Tis only a flesh wound!" She grinned weakly. "I jumped out of the way mostly, just got shot in the one area."

"I'll finish you off!" Cornello turned his gun towards her.

"Not so fast!" Al ran and grabbed Lynn, carrying her towards some closed doors. I grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her along.

"Al, lets make a break for it!" I called.

"Those doors only open when I command them too!" Yelled Cornello triumphantly.

"Oh really? If there ain't an exit, I'll make one!" I grinned, releasing Rose's hand and clapping, slamming my hands on the wall to make a door.

"Uwoah! Too cool, Eddo!" I heard Lynn yell weakly.

We burst out of the room, hearing Cornello shout at men behind us. I paused. "Al, can you carry Lynn and Rose?"

"Just leave me here, I'll be fine." Said Lynn.

"Shaddup, that's a lie and all of us know it." I growled.

"Lynn, ride on my shoulders." Al put her down, picked her up again, and placed her on his shoulders. He then carried Rose bridal style.

By then, men had caught up to us. "Just surrender before anyone gets hurt, kid." They were saying, smirking.

I got an evil look on my face and clapped, running my hand over my automail arm and producing an epic blade. I proceeded to beat the crap out of them. Al kicked a whole bunch of people in the teeth, and we ran down the hall until we reached a large room.

"Oh? What's this?"

"This is the broadcasting room. The Founder uses it to broadcast his sermons." Rose explained.

"Let's blow it up." Murmured Lynn faintly.

"Heh heh, I've got a different plan for it..."

. . . . . . . . . .

I was right. Brother had been thinking of something evil.

I had stolen a church bell and was starting to draw a transmutation circle around it.

"I still can't believe you can do such things." Rose was saying.

"It's equivalent exchange, right Al?" Lynn said. She had wrapped her gunshot wound (on her bicep) in a piece of fabric torn from Rose's dress. She was handling the pain rather well. She hadn't screamed once.

Then again, she probably had felt pain before, with her injured legs and all.

"Right." I murmured distractedly.

"So if you want to do something, you have to pay a cost, right?" Lynn continued. I interrupted, taking it from there.

"Brother can only be called a genius. But he only got to be this way because he paid a price through effort."

"But since you paid the price, your mother must have been-"

"The body could not have been called human." I stated bluntly. Lynn had turned as pale as milk, and Rose was headed in that direction. "We quit working with human transmutation. But Brother wants me to go back to my original body, and I want him to go back to his. We may pay for it and lose our lives, but this is the path we've chosen. That's why you can't be like us, Rose."

. . . . . . . . . .

I stiffened a wince as Rose pulled the bullet from my arm using a pair of tweezers Al transmuted for her. It hurt like shit, but I'd been through worse.

I was listening to Ed trick the Founder into revealing everything as we made it broadcast throughout the entire city. I felt kind of bad for these people. They were having a rude awakening.

"Got it out." Rose said quietly. Fresh blood was streaming from it, and she looked panicked.

"Step one: Get clean rag." I recited what I hoped were the steps to stop the bleeding. "Step two: Apply pressure to bleeding would. Step three: Hold cloth to wound until bleeding stops." Rose complied, asking Al to tear a new strip from her dress.

I flinched at the pressure from the rag, but said nothing.

"You're strong." Noted Rose. "You haven't cried once."

"It is but a flesh wound." I said, grinning. My face then darkened. "I've been through worse anyway."

"Did you transmute somebody, too?"

"Nah, I'm just along for the ride. I don't have anything better to do, so why not tag along? Besides, my knight in shining armor would never just leave me behind locked in some tower, would he?" I grinned at Al.

I jolted, startled at the sudden yell that came from the bell.

"AAAAAH! IT HURTS!"

"Shaddup, quit screaming about one or two arms! It's just a rebound!" I heard Ed complain. More angry shouts and then panicked ones came through, and then the building went "KABOOM!" As a huge god-fist of Leto almost killed corn-cereal.

"So it was a fake, huh?" Al stood.

"Sorry, Al, I guess we'll have to keep looking. Lynn? Where are you? You alright?"

"I'm right here!" I waved my hand in front of my face, coughing because of the dust. Al hoisted me to my feet, gently but firmly.

"This has to be a lie." Rose muttered. "He said he'd bring him back." She was kneeling on the ground, like her legs had given out (though her legs were at perfectly normal positions, unlike mine when _my _legs give out).

"Rose, give it up." Ed sighed.

"Why does it have to be like this?" Her voice crescendoed. "What am I supposed to do now?!" Tears streamed down her face. "How am I supposed to live now?! Tell me! Please!"

"You'll have to think about that on your own." I hobbled over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Stand up and walk. Move on." I began hobbling away again. "After all," I continued. "_You have perfect legs to stand on._"

We left her kneeling there, weeping, staring up at the sky.

. . . . . . . . . .

**Alright, I might be skipping the Youswell coal mine thing, but I'll explain it all in a way that makes sense, I swear.**

**Until next we meet!**

**~Rabbit**


	5. In Which I Learn That Blackmail Is Fun

**This chappie takes place during the Youswell chapters. Yup.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Knock knock knock."

"Come in!" I took a sip of coffee, browsing through the papers I had to fill out today.

"Yo! Mustang-eeo!" A familiar voice called.

"Huh?" I looked up. "Grey, what are you doing here? Where's Fullmetal and Alphonse?"

Lynn Grey was standing in the doorway, wearing an open leather jacket and her strange trousers and purple shirt. Her silver-grey hair was in a long ponytail. I saw a red smudge on her jacket, but it could've been my imagination so I brushed the thought aside.

"The Elric brothers commanded me to come back. I was told to," she pulled out a sheet of paper from her pocket. "Report to the colonel about Liore and rest and heal up."

"Heal up?"

"I got shot." She said lightly. "Ed and Al wanted me to tell you-"

"You got _shot? _How terrible is Ed at keeping one teenage girl safe?!" I paused, looking back at the "imaginary" red smudge. "Have you been to the hospital yet?"

"Well, no, it took me long enough getting to your office. Ed gave me some money and I boarded a different train than them. A nice guy made sure I got off at the right station, where I proceeded to wander around for a bit before finding a military man who gave me directions. I came straight here from there."

"Well, I'm not hearing a single report until we get you in a hospital ward." This gave me an excuse to not do paperwork, too.

. . . . . . . . . .

About an hour later, I had been bandaged up and they let Mustang in to see me. I pulled a blanket up over my shoulders so he wouldn't see my scars.

"You don't have to do that, I've already seen pictures of the scars." Did he read my mind? "I told Edward about them, but I didn't show him the pictures."

"Thanks for not showing him." I muttered, lowering the blanket.

"You're welcome. Now, about that report.."

I told him everything I could remember about Liore. He took it all in without a twitch of surprise.

"And where have the boys gone now?"

"I think it was Youswell coal mine. It was either Youswell or Youssick." I chuckled at my own joke. Mustang looked at me funny, then sighed.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"Teach me to fight." I said impulsively.

"Fight?"

"I don't want to be completely useless. All I've been doing is cheering for them from the sidelines and getting shot and stuff."

"You helped get rid of the transmutation circles during the Freezer case." Mustang added.

"That was an indirect way of helping. I wanna be direct."

"Well, I don't know how much fighting you _could _do, anyway. Your legs-"

"Yeah yeah, they're horribly mangled and I can't walk. I've heard this story a bajillion times, Colonel." She paused. "There's gotta be something. Guns? Knife throwing? Ninja stars? Sai? Alchemy?"

"I don't know. Stop bothering me about it." He stood. "I'm not authorizing your training." At my disappointed face, the corners of his lips twitched up. "I'm not banning it, either. We've never had this discussion." He walked out as I punched my fist (on my good arm) in the air.

"Yesssss!" I whisper-yelled.

A day later, I convinced the hospital people to let me out. I know what you're thinking. "People don't recover from bullets that quickly." Well, I thought I was healthy enough to get out of bed. And I lied to the doctors so they'd let me out (I told them that I had superhuman healing abilities. You'd be amazed at what the name Fullmetal can do to add credibility to your story). They had also prescribed some healer drugs for me (drugs meaning medicine, not cocaine or something).

I wandered around for a bit (I was wearing the same clothes as the day before) when I encountered a closet. Looking for fresh clothes, I I opened it and saw a blonde military guy making out with some military girl I'd seen at the front desk a few times. They were getting pretty intimate, so I blushed, muttered a quick "Sorry," and shut the door.

I saw the blonde woman from Mustang's office walking towards me, so I waved. She gave me an acknowledging nod.

"Can you help me find some clean clothes? I bathed, of course, but I've been wearing these pants and shirt for the past four or five days." I said, looking at the floor nervously.

"I'll send someone to help." She walked away. Stiff much? Gee. But she's military. They're stiff.

Except the guy who was making out with the chic in the closet.

"Hey, Riza said to help you."

"Thanks-AH!" I jumped back. It was the kissing guy.

"What? Normally girls are swooning over my looks." He looked hurt.

"Yeah, that girl in the closet looked like she was having a good time." I whispered in his ear.

"You can't tell anyone about that. I could lose my job. Especially don't tell my girlfriend. The officer knew it was a one-time thing." He blanched, and I grinned wickedly.

"I'll make you a deal, military man. You teach me how to fight and get me some clothes, and I won't tell anyone about your little affair."

"Deal." We shook on it. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Lynn Grey. I'm Ed and Al's friend. Who're you?"

"Call me Havoc, little lady. Now, what do you want first?"

"Well, I need some clothes."

"There are some great dress shops in the city-"

"Not those kinds of clothes. I need pants and a shirt and possibly a jacket."

"The only way to get those for you would be if you were in the military. Want one like Riza's outfit?"

"Yeah, but I'm not tucking the pant legs into the boots. If you could get those for me, I'd really appreciate it."

"I dunno, you're not military personnel..."

"What was the name of the girl you were making out with?" I tried to remember if I'd seen a name tag. "Emily, right?"

"I'll get right on it!" Havoc saluted me and then ran off. I felt kinda bad for blackmailing him, but oh well.

A half hour later, I was wearing a military outfit just like everyone else's. my shirt-jacket was a little too long at the sleeves, and my pants were untucked at the boots, but other than that: identical. "Thanks, Havoc. Now, noble squire, teach me to fight!" I grinned.

"Did you just call me a square?"

"No, SQUIRE. Whatever. Just help me get stronger!"

"Okay, jeez. What do you want to do first?"

"Shoot stuff!"

And that was how my day went. Havoc taught me shooting. We spent the whole day training, and I even convinced him to get me my own gun (blackmail is so cool).

I could almost hit a moving target now, I was that good. I learned fast because I was determined to show off to Ed and Al when they got back from Youswell. Havoc had noticed my hobbling walk and thought I'd be useless, but he said he was pleasantly surprised.

Havoc left me to get food. I told him I'd pass on lunch.

I used tons of targets (moving and still) until nightfall. At that point, I went back to Colonel Mustang's office, giving him a salute when I entered.

"How can I help- Lynn? Where'd you get those clothes?"

"I stole them." I lied.

"Is that a gun at your hip?!"

"I stole that, too." I grinned.

"Do you know how to use that thing?"

"I convinced somebody to teach me. I'm getting pretty good. My arm kinda hurts, but it's healing up nicely." I stretched. My silver-grey hair was down, which fit the outfit nicely, I think.

"I thought Edward and Alphonse told you to rest and recover from your injury."

"It'll get better. I wanted to show them that I'd be able to help next time."

"You are hopeless." He sighed. I bristled.

"I am not. I can shoot."

"Oh yeah?" He teased.

"Yeah!"

"Shoot this." He stood up, picked a cushion up from the chair, and held it up.

I took a deep breath, took aim, cocked the gun, and pulled the trigger, all in a matter of seconds.

I put a hole through the center of the pillow.

"Yes!" I punched the air. He looked impressed.

"You learn quickly."

"Grams bought me a Nerf gun a couple years ago. I would practice shooting stuffed animals with it." He looked incredibly confused, so I just sighed. "A Nerf gun is like a fake gun with foam bullets. By stuffed animal I mean teddy bears and other plushie things."

"I see. Anyway, Fullmetal's train back should be here in a few days. Get some rest, take your meds, train with your gun if you have to, and we'll take you to the station when it comes in."

"Thanks, Colonel Mustang!" I grinned, giving him a hug before hobbling away.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Lynn, I have some bad news." I entered Lynn's hospital room quickly, startling her and almost making her choke on the pills she was swallowing.

"Gee, Carlord, you startled me!" She swallowed. "What's the bad news?"

"Ed and Al's train will be late."

"Aw, why?" She pouted.

"It's been hijacked." I paused, allowing that to sink in.

"_WHAT_?!"

. . . . . . . . . .

**Yup, Ed and Al are on the train with the crazy automail arm guy who shot that ignorant guy in the ear.**

**See you next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	6. I Play With A Little Girl

**I have returned with more Lynn-ness!**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Hi, Fullmetal." Mustang raised his hand in greeting, a cheery smile on his face. Edward looked disgusted.

"Oh, hi, Colonel." Alphonse waved.

"What's with the look?" Mustang asked.

"ALPHONSE! EDWARD!" I yelled with glee, interrupting their conversation. I was wearing my freshly washed military outfit, my silver-grey hair in a ponytail. I tackled Al in a hug, then hugged Ed. "I was sooooo worried when Mustang said your train was hijacked. Who's that guy?" I pulled away from Edward and pointed a finger at an angry looking, muscly dude with an eyepatch and crazy looking automail arm with a bloody knife coming from it. Cut ropes were at his feet, and there were injured soldiers on the ground.

"Ugh..." Edward groaned.

"Colonel, stand back-" Riza Hawkeye began. The guy lunged.

"I got this." The colonel snapped his fingers, and a ball of fire shot towards muscleman. It exploded in his face, sending him careening backwards. Some uninjured soldiers shoved him on the ground and held him down. "I went easy on you this time. If you're going to resist again, I'll turn you into cinders, got it?" Mustang smirked.

"Woah, that was AWESOME!" I gaped, applauding. "What was that?!"

"Who the hell are you, fucker?" The guy growled.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. Please remember that." He smirked again.

I moved over to Havoc. "How was he able to do that?"

"That glove of the Colonel's is made from spark cloth." He lit a cigarette. "Flick against it hard enough and a spark will be ignited. Then, adjust the oxygen concentration around something flammable, and..."

"Poof!" I grinned.

. . . . . . . . . .

"You owe us for this one, Colonel." I gave Mustang a smirk.

"There's something disturbing about being in your debt... I'll cave in. What do you want?"

"That's our Colonel! You're quick. Can you show us to a library or introduce us to an alchemist that is familiar with transmutation?"

"Are you going to teach me alchemy?" Lynn's voice was bright. She was sitting on the same couch I was, though Al was in between us. I got the strangest feeling that she was beaming over there, but I couldn't see her. I had heard from Mustang that she stole a military uniform the other day, and they let her keep it.

"No, we want to restore ourselves, ASAP!" I said. I could almost here her deflate.

"Edward, Alphonse, lets have tea! You can tell me all about what you did in Youswell, and how you defeated the hijackers on the train! I'll tell you about what I did, too!" She seemed excited.

"Aha! I found it. A chimera researcher state alchemist; Shou Tucker." Mustang said triumphantly.

"Lets visit him right away!" I grinned.

On the way, Al gave in to Lynn's begging and told her about our trip. I interjected with stuff that he missed once and a while. Lynn cheered, became sad, or laughed at the parts where that was meant to happen. She tried to cajole me into doing an imitation of the guy who owned Youswell before we came, but I declined.

"Shou Tucker is the life-binding alchemist, right?" I changed the subject.

"Yes, he created a talking chimera and passed the entrance exams to become a state alchemist."

"Talking chimera?! Like, human words?!"

"Yes. It only said four words: 'I want to die'. After that, it starved itself to death."

"How awful." Lynn frowned.

"Lets see what kind of person he is." I said lightly.

We arrived at his house shortly after.

"This place is huge, right Al?!" Lynn said, astonished.

"Yeah." My little brother replied. Mustang rang a bell outside the door.

Suddenly, a huge shadow passed over me, and I was attacked by a giant dog. "AAAAAAGH!" I screamed. I looked up to see Lynn doubled over laughing.

"Alexander, don't do that!" A man's voice called out nervously.

"Look, Daddy, we have guests!"

"Nina, the dog is supposed to be tied up." A middle-aged man with glasses spoke, and a little girl with long brown hair in two braids was opening the door.

They led us into the house, giving us seats at the table.

"How can I help you boys?" Shou Tucker asked.

"These two were looking for information referring to human transmutation." Mustang began.

"Why would you want to know that?" Shou Tucker frowned.

"Well-" I glanced at Nina, who was talking to Lynn. Tucker noticed.

"Nina, go play, okay?"

"Aww, but Daddy!"

"Come on, Nina, I'll play with you!" Lynn jumped in to the rescue. She led Nina away.

I let out my breath and told Shou Tucker our story.

When I finished, Tucker looked astonished.

"Oh, my. How terrible." He paused. "What of the girl? What did she do? And forgive me, I know Mustang, you, and Alphonse, but I have yet to hear her name."

"Lynn? Lynn didn't transmute anything. She doesn't even know alchemy."

"She wants me to teach her alchemy." Alphonse interjected helpfully.

"I see. What's wrong with her legs?" Tucker inquired. I didn't know why he was being so nosy about Lynn.

"They're mangled and scarred. She won't talk about it." Mustang said bluntly. I gasped. Mustang said scarring, and I knew something was wrong with her legs, but _mangled_?

"Colonel Mustang, how do you know that?" Al asked curiously. That's right. Al didn't know about the pictures the colonel refused to show me.

I'd get Al to help me find 'em later.

"I'll need you to keep this a secret, Mr. Tucker. We told people he lost those limbs in the Ishvalan civil war." Mustang stated.

"Yes, of course. It would be a shame for the military to have to let go of such talent. Let me show you a few things."

Tucker led us down to a room where tons of animals and chimeras were locked in small cages. "How embarrassing. People call me the lead scientist on chimera research, but I'm not actually that good." He scratched his head, an apologetic smile on his face.

"I get the feeling that Lynn wouldn't like this room." Alphonse whispered to me.

"Why?" I asked, confused. Al shrugged.

Tucker led us to another room. "This is my file room." It was like a library. There were sooooo many files and books.

"Woah! Awesome!" I grinned.

"Feel free to look all you like. I'll be in the lab."

"Alright, I'll start with this shelf."

"I'll start over here." Al replied.

I picked up a book and heard nothing more.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Alexander, come back!" I laughed, jog-hobbling after the beast. Al followed, carrying Nina on his shoulders like he had carried me before.

Before I rounded a corner, I heard Ed's startled yell and a thump noise as Alexander leapt on him.

"Hi, Edward!" I grinned cheerfully.

"Hi, Brother." Al's eye-lights (you know what, screw that, I'll call them eyes even if they aren't exactly eyes) twinkled merrily.

"Don't you 'Hi' me! What were you doing if you weren't looking through files?!" Ed yelled at both of us first, then just Al.

"I couldn't do as much physical playing with Nina as she'd have liked, so Al volunteered to help." I said apologetically.

"Don't be so easy going, Al!" Ed yelled.

"Alexander wants to play with Brother, too!" Alexander licked Ed's face. Nina picked up the habit of calling Ed "brother" from Al.

"I think I read somewhere that lions use all of there energy hunting rabbits, but is it Alexander or Edward who is the rabbit?" I teased. Ed paused.

"I, Edward Elric, am going after you with everything I've got, damn mutt!" Edward yelled, and started chasing Alexander. Nina laughed excitedly while Al facepalmed and said;

"What a little kid."

I grinned. "Ya got that right!" I punched him on the shoulder (lightly and playfully, mind you, I wasn't trying to break my knuckles).

. . . . . . . . . .

Around dark, Havoc came to pick us up.

"Yo, boss, I'm here to get you." He looked at my crushed-under-Alexander state and said, "What the hell are you doing?"

"We were just taking a break from scrummaging around for files!" Lynn stated cheerfully.

"It's not like you were actually looking through files." I mumbled.

"Does this mean you were able to find anything useful?" Shou Tucker inquired. At my despairing look, he smiled. "It's okay, you can come back tomorrow."

"Brothers and Robot, are you going to come again?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, we'll play again tomorrow!" Lynn grinned, patting Nina on the head affectionately.

As I left out the door, I heard Havoc mention something to Tucker.

"Evaluation day is coming up. Don't forget."

. . . . . . . . . .

**You all have a good idea of what happens next, right?**

**Well, be prepared. I may spin things around, no promises.**

**Until next we meet!**

**~Rabbit**


	7. All In A Day's Horror

**This chapter was difficult, BLEGH.**

**I only own Lynn. Dat's it bro**

**P. S. Lynn drops the F-bomb towards the end, if you care about such things.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"What's your family like, Lynn?"

I froze at Nina's question.

Ed and Al were reading files, but both looked up. Nina was leaning against Alexander's sleeping figure, looking at me curiously.

"Well, if I tell you about mine, you tell me about yours!" I gave a weak smile, trying to divert the attention from me to her.

"You first." Nina stared at me, determined.

"Yeah, we're curious, too." Al spoke up. Both of the Elrics had put their files down. As much as I hated it, I knew there was no getting out of this one.

I sighed. "Alright. I used to live with my mother. I didn't know my father." I paused, wondering how much to say in front of a little kid. "Due to some circumstances, I ended up living with Grams, who took great care of me until she died a month or so ago." My throat constricted a little at the thought of Grams' death.

Ed frowned. "What did your grandmother die of? And what were the 'circumstances'?"

"I'll only answer one of those, then it's Nina's turn to tell us about her family!" I said, then continued quickly so Ed didn't have time to object. "Grams died of cancer. Now, Nina's turn!"

"Welllll, two years ago Mommy 'went back to her family'. But I still have Daddy and Alexander so I'm okay." Then she mellowed a little, looking gloomy. "Lately I've been lonely because Daddy's spending more and more time in his lab."

Noting Nina's gloomy look, Ed, Al, and I exchanged a glance.

Ed stood and stretched. "I'm getting a bit stiff from sitting here and reading all day."

"The best way to relieve stiffness is to exercise!" I grinned, Al helping me to my feet.

"Hey, Mutt! I need exercise, so I'll play with you!" Ed pointed at Alexander, and Alexander woke, stretching and wagging his tail.

"Come on, Nina, you too." Al held out his hand. Nina grinned and took it.

We went outside and frolicked around (though I was mostly stationary, just watching). I looked up for a brief moment, and saw something in a window. Shou Tucker was hunched over his desk, teeth gritted and head in his hands.

I felt concern for him, but also a strange sense of dread.

Not knowing what to make of it, I settled on ignoring it and playing with the boys, Nina, and Alexander.

The next day, I woke up early and had nothing to do, so I went to Shou Tucker's house alone. I got lost a few times, but when I got there, no one answered the door, so I let myself in.

I know what you're thinking. "Don't just go trespassing in people's houses! That's illegal!" But I felt that something was seriously wrong here. I needed to make sure everyone was okay.

I made my way down the hall to the lab, where I witnessed something I'll never forget.

I watched in horror, paralyzed by fear, as Nina and Alexander were merged to make a chimera.

I stood there and did _nothing_.

"Oh? Lynn, what a shame you had to see this. I can't have you telling people, though. No, no. That wouldn't do at all." Tucker had noticed me, and smiled creepily. He came towards me. I backed away slowly, not realizing that I was. He grabbed a large iron bar that was resting nearby, probably used for beating the chimera if they got loose from their cages.

I'm sure the cracking sound my head made when it hit me was very loud. I don't know, I was unconscious before I heard it.

. . . . . . . . . .

"How long do you plan on sulking, Edward?" Colonel Mustang asked. It was raining. Brother and I were sitting on the rainy steps. Images of Nina kept flying through my head.

"Shut up." Brother muttered.

"Even if you are called the dog of the military or devil, the one who decided to make full use of those privileges to restore your bodies was you. Do you have time to take a break for something as minor as this?"

"'As minor as this', huh?" Brother paused. "Yeah, I'll restore our bodies, even if we get called dogs or devils. But we're still not devils and we're definitely not gods." Brother stood abruptly. "We're human beings! Insignificant human beings who couldn't save one little girl." He gritted his teeth.

"You'll catch a cold. Go home and rest." Said Mustang.

"Yeah, we should get Lynn inside. We don't know how resilient she is against cold weather." I said. Then, I stiffened. "Lynn! Where is Lynn?"

"Oh my god." Brother covered his mouth with his hand. "I completely forgot about her!"

"Brother, what do we do?!"

"Was she with you when you went to see Tucker today?" Asked Mustang. He looked serious and worried.

"No, now that I think about it. We haven't seen her at all today." I got worried.

"Damnit, where is she?" Brother clenched his fist.

"You don't think she went to Mr. Tucker's house before we did and _saw_, do you?" If I had had a throat I'm sure it would've constricted, I was so worried.

"If that's the case, Tucker could've killed her before you got there. Did she bring her gun with her?" Mustang asked, looking grave.

"She has a gun?" I asked, confused.

"I'll take that as a no. Knowing her, she must've not wanted it near young children." Mustang pinched the bridge of his nose, his brow furrowed.

"If she's dead, I'll-" Brother didn't speak any further, his expression filled with despair. I knew that if Lynn was dead, if we had lost both girls, Nina _and _Lynn, we'd probably never recover completely.

We rushed in the direction of Mr. Tucker's house, ignoring Colonel Mustang's calls for us to wait.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Ugh, where am I?" I groaned, opening my eyes to find myself in the dark. I heard speaking in the room closest to me. Wincing, I touched the bump on my head that was swelling from where Tucker hit me. My fingers came away wet and sticky, probably with my own blood. Something else didn't feel right, but I couldn't place it.

I fumbled around for a bit, discovering I was in a closet. I managed to push open the door, and was surprised to see that I was not in the lab. I was upstairs, in a room with a huge window. It was raining.

I soon gained another scar to add to my collection, this one mental, just like the one that formed when I watched Nina and Alexander become one.

There was too much horror that day.

Tucker was on the ground, looking like someone made his insides explode. Blood was splattered all over the floor.

A tan skinned man put his hand on Nina-Alexander's head.

"It's sad. There is no way to restore you from this body. At the very least, rest in peace."

Knowing what was about to come next, I opened my mouth to scream, to do _something _to keep this horrible man from killing an innocent little girl. But my voice would not work. No sound would come out as Nina was murdered.

I threw up.

He turned, startled, and saw me hunched over, retching. He looked me over, and I stared back, wide eyes with fear. I wiped my mouth and tried to rise.

That's when I realized what I had felt was wrong earlier, when I was in the closet.

That bastard Tucker had taken my leg braces so that if I ever woke up, I couldn't run away. This was very bad news now.

I started army crawling towards the furthest place from the scary, scarred man; the window. I'm pretty fast at army crawling, and I would use my legs to try and get an extra push a couple times, though it made me gasp with pain.

The guy walked over to me, taking his time, because he _knew _I was trapped, _knew _I couldn't get anywhere, _knew _that I was gonna die no matter how much I resisted. I reached the wall and propped myself up in a scooting position, fumbling through my pockets, trying to find my gun. I didn't bring it. I never brought it here because I was scared that Nina would take it and accidentally shoot herself or her dad.

How ironic that shooting her dad should've been the first thing I did with the damn thing.

"It's unfortunate you witnessed that. Who are you?"

"Lynn Grey, you bastard. How dare you. How dare you kill Nina's father in front of her. How dare you kill Nina!"

"It was god's justice." He looked unfazed by my words.

"God's justice, my ass. Throwing around the word 'god' does not justify _murder_!"

His hand lunged at me, quick as a snake, preparing to obliterate me like he did to Nina and Shou Tucker. I dodged to the side, watching as the glass in the window shatter from the force of his blow (it didn't explode, for some reason) where I had been only moments before.

I had a sudden idea, and I struck some of the weaker glass near the hole with my palm. The window broke some more.

Sensing that I had a plan, the scar-faced man reached out for me again, but it was too late for him.

I had already thrown myself out the window.

. . . . . . . . . .

When Brother and I got to Tucker's house, a bunch more military cars were parked outside than there had been before. I saw Mustang giving orders to soldiers.

"How did they get here before us?!" Brother exclaimed incredulously, wheezing slightly, bent over with his hands on his knees.

"They have cars, which are faster than us." I reminded him.

"Fullmetal!" Mustang called us over. "Go home. We've got this handled."

"Is Lynn okay?" I interrupted, concerned.

"Well," Mustang paused. Brother looked terrified.

"She's not- Tucker didn't-" Brother stammered, afraid to ask.

"She's still human, don't worry about that." Brother gave a sigh of relief. "She jumped out a second story window and broke her ankle."

"What?! Why would she-"

"Where is she now?" I interrupted again.

"The medical van, but she's been cut up pretty badly from all the glass, and there's a nasty injury on the side of her head, so she may have a concussion." Mustang patted my metal shoulder. "She'll probably be fine."

We still rushed over to the medical van anyway. Lynn was on a stretcher, bleeding from cuts in an incredible amount of places, with a nasty bump on her head, just like Mustang said.

"Are you okay, Lynn?" I asked. She looked at me, grief and self-hatred written all over her face.

"Why the hell would you jump out a second story window?! Think, Lynn, that isn't smart!" Brother scolded. I saw Lynn's expression, and was about to tell Brother that that was enough, when she spoke.

"Well, I'm sorry for trying not to _die_! And don't look at me like that. I may be broken, but my mind's not gone yet! The whole reason I jumped out the window was because I _was _thinking!" She yelled. "I'm not o-fucking-kay! I just saw a little girl- She was just a little girl-" she started to sob.

"It's alright. Brother and I will find a way to turn her back." I tried to calm her down. She looked heartbroken.

"Oh, Alphonse, you don't understand." She whispered, tears streaming down her face.

The medics pushed the stretcher in the car and started driving away. Brother and I got Havoc to give us a ride back.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Did you find him?" I asked the officer.

"No, sir. It seems he got away. We're having soldiers scour the house for him, but we can't find him anywhere." He replied, saluting. I groaned.

"Lynn is going to hate that we lost him." I muttered.

"Colonel, do the boys know?" Asked Hawkeye. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Being a colonel was hard, especially if you were in charge of Edward Elric.

"I don't think Lynn has told them, so we'll tell them tomorrow."

. . . . . . . . . .

**Well, I put a slight twist on Scar's showing up in this chapter. I hope you liked it.**

**Don't worry. It'll all work out in the next chapter.**

**See you next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	8. Life Ain't Just A Joke

**Alright! Here's chapter eight for ya.**

**Once again, I ONLY own Lynn.**

. . . . . . . . . .

_ "But you couldn't fix me, could you?"_

I woke, dripping with sweat. Mother... I hadn't fixed Mother.

"It hurts." I clenched my teeth, curling up.

***time jump to later***

Al and I were standing outside Mustang's office. I ended up chickening out and turned to walk away, when Hawkeye came out.

"Oh, Edward, Alphonse, you're up early. What's going on?"

"We were just wondering... What's going to happen to Nina and Tucker?" I didn't meet her eyes, until I heard her next statement.

"They were killed. I was going to lie just now, but I figured if Lynn hasn't told you yet she will soon anyway."

"What?! When?! By whom?! And how did Lynn know?!" I felt upset, like things were collapsing around me.

"Remember yesterday when Lynn fell out that window? Well, she told us she was running from the person who killed Nina. She started going hysterical and seeing things when we pressed her for more information, so we're not sure who it is yet. Our officers are cleaning the crime scene at the moment, and that's where I'm headed now."

"Take us with you!" Alphonse begged.

"No."

"Why not?!" I was furious.

"Before she started seeing things, she told me not to bring you with me to investigate. She said it's better if you didn't see."

I clenched my fists. "Come on, Al."

Al and I walked to the hospital ward, where we got Havoc to take us to Lynn's room.

"She's shaken up pretty bad. Yesterday she kept babbling about scars and was calling for her grandma, but today she seems to be a little more stable."

We entered to find her sitting up, staring out the window and singing to some song under her breath, then arguing about the lyrics to herself.

"If life ain't just a joke, then why are we laughing? Or is it, If life is just a joke then why aren't we laughing?"

"Why?" My voice choked up, making her turn her head towards me. Her light grey eyes were blank, like she wasn't even seeing me, even though she stared right at me. It gave me the shivers. "Why didn't you tell us she was dead?!" Havoc left and shut the door behind me, giving us privacy.

"You saw! You saw, didn't you?! You saw you saw you saw-" she looked panicked.

"Lynn, we haven't seen Nina or Mr. Tucker." Al said soothingly.

"Thank goodness." Her face was haunted, but a faint smile flittered across her face.

"How did she die?" I trembled. Lynn said nothing. "_How did Nina die?!_"

"She was blown up." She said bleakly. "From the inside. Tucker too. While I watched. I did nothing, Ed. Nothing. I couldn't do anything when I saw Nina and Alexander transmuted together, either." Her hands trembled. "I still see it, Alphonse, Edward. I still see him reaching out-" She broke off.

"What do you mean, you did nothing?" I tried to ignore the images of Nina blown up, splattered all over, that came to mind. I tried not to imagine what it would be like to see that, and started channeling my anger at Lynn. "You did not resist at all? You did not even _try_ to save Nina?" I needed something to let my anger out. Lynn had unintentionally given me an outlet; her. "You know, not doing anything at all to stop it is just as bad as having done it yourself." I hissed, unable to stop myself. She blanched.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed.

"Get out." Lynn said. I didn't move, hearing the hardness in her voice and realizing the gravity of what I had just said. "Get out!" She yelled, grabbing the lamp on the desk beside her and flinging it at me. I raised my automail arm and the lamp broke.

"Fine." I growled, anger back.

I stomped out, Al trailing hesitantly behind.

"Wait!" Lynn said. I stopped, but I didn't turn around.

"What?"

"Beware the man with the scar on his face."

"Why? Because people with scars can't be trusted? Oh, that's right, you're covered in scars, too, aren't you?" I walked out, shutting the door behind me.

"Brother. That was too harsh. And you have your own scars, you know."

I didn't answer.

. . . . . . . . . .

Brother and I sat in the rain at the base of the clock tower. I understood that he needed time to think, but later I was going to make him apologize to Lynn, even if I had to drag him there by his golden hair.

"My head is so full of stuff that I don't even know where to start thinking." He confessed. "I spent the whole time walking here thinking about what we believed alchemy is."

"Alchemy is the knowledge, analysis, and recreation of the laws and the currents that exist within substances." I remembered.

"The world spins through these laws. People dying is also a part of those currents." Brother was solemn. "Embrace the currents. I was told that so many times by sensei that I got sick of hearing it. I thought I understood it. But because I didn't understand back then, Mother was..." He paused. "And now I'm starting to think about whether I could have done something about something I could do nothing about. I haven't improved a bit since then."

"I guess we owe Lynn an apology, huh?" I said.

"Yeah." Brother paused. "I came out here so that the rain would wash away my anger and sorrow, but each drop is only making me feel more depressed." He looked up at the sky.

"But, since I don't have a body, I can't feel a single drop of rain at all." I clenched my fist. "It's sad and scary. But I want to get my body back, even if we have to go against the current."

"Edward! Edward Elric!" Brother and I turned to see a military officer running towards us. "Thank goodness you're alright, we've been looking all over for you."

"What? What do you want?" Brother asked curiously.

"You're to get back to base at once. The truth is, there's a serial killer on the loose."

"Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist." Suddenly, a large, tan man was looming over brother and the officer.

He had a scar on his face.

"Stop!" Brother yelled, as the scarred man murdered the soldier.

_ "She was blown up. From the inside." _I remembered Lynn saying as the man was killed just like Lynn had described.

Brother and I were frozen in place. I tried to imagine Lynn surviving an attack from this guy, and now knew why Nina had died without Lynn interfering. This man made you paralyzed with fear.

The clock tower chimed, snapping us from the spell that held us there. "Al, run!" Brother yelled. We sprinted off.

"You won't get away!"

We ran into an alley and I transmuted a wall into place to hide us.

"What the hell was that?!" Brother exclaimed.

"The man with the scar on his face, like Lynn told us about." I murmured.

Suddenly, the wall exploded, and the man stepped through. Brother and I ran again. The wall at my right started cracking and exploding. It fell, blocking our path to freedom. We spun around.

"This is a joke, right? Why the hell are you going after us?" Brother snarled.

I was suddenly reminded of the song Lynn was singing at Brother's saying the word "joke". _"If life ain't just a joke, then why aren't we laughing?" _It made no sense for this memory to appear, so I pushed it aside.

"If there are creators, then there are also destroyers." The scar-faced man said ominously.

"So you're telling us we have no choice." Brother clapped, took a pipe, and turned it into a sort of sword. I assumed a fighting position. "Let's go!"

We lunged, but he dodged our attacks. "You've got guts, but you're too slow!" He blew up part of my side, only to see that I was hollow.

"Al!" Brother exclaimed, then turned toward the scar man in rage. "You son of a bitch!" He lunged again.

"You're too slow," he growled, and tried to blow up Brother's arm. It didn't work, and Brother rolled backwards.

"Damn." Brother threw his cloak off.

"Automail? And the other one is hollow... What a strange bunch."

"I've wasted a lot of time talking to you. I'm not nice enough to play by your schedule." Brother turned part of his metal plating into a knife.

"Brother, run!" I struggled to rise, but my busted-up body wouldn't move.

"You idiot! You think I would just run and leave you behind?!"

"So you put your hands together to transmute." The scarred man mused.

"RAAAAH!" Brother charged.

"The first thing to do is have that annoying arm destroyed!" He put his hand on Brother's automail arm and blew it up. Brother fell to the ground, looking shocked.

"BROTHER!"

"I will give you time to pray to God." The scarred man said. I struggled to rise.

"Sorry, but there's no god I wanna pray to." Brother paused. "You're just after me, right? Are you gonna kill Al, too?"

"If there any obstacles I will remove them, but otherwise my business is only with the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Really? Then promise me that you won't touch my little brother." Brother said quietly.

"I am a man of my word." The scarred man said. He started to reach for Brother.

"No! Brother, what are you doing?! Get up! Run away! Stop!" I struggled helplessly. I could do nothing to stop this. Lynn's haunted face rose to my mind, and I struggled harder. "Stooop!"

Then a gunshot went off. "That's as far as you go."

It was Mustang, whom had fired the shot in the air, Riza Hawkeye, Havoc, some more militia, and Lynn, who was in a wheelchair and pointing a gun at the scarred man. She was trembling and looked enraged and scared.

"That was a close call, Fullmetal."

"Colonel, this guy-"

"He's suspected in the murders of multiple state alchemists, though looking at the present situation, there's no doubting it."

"He killed Nina." Lynn whispered, then yelled. "He murdered Nina and Tucker and he almost killed you two!" Brother's eyes widened. Had he really not connected the dots until now?

"Alchemists manipulate the natural way of things, therefore defying our God. As messengers of God, we are to carry out divine punishment." He clenched his fist.

"That's something I don't understand." Mustang said. "There are plenty of alchemists; why only go after state-level alchemists?"

"No matter what, if you plan to interfere, I'll eliminate you, too."

"Interesting." He threw his gun back to Hawkehe and pulled on his gloves. "Don't lay a finger on him."

"Colonel Mustang!" She exclaimed, startled.

"Colonel Mustang.. The Flame Alchemist?"

"The one and only." He held up his hand.

"For one who has turned against God to come and present himself for judgement- Today is a prosperous day!" The scarred man flexed his muscles ominously.

"You know that I'm the Flame Alchemist, yet you still challenge me?!" Both men lunged for each other.

"You dumbshit colonel!" Lynn yelled suddenly.

Riza Hawkeye suddenly swooped Mustang's legs out from under him and he toppled backwards. She started firing at the assailant, who dodged.

"What the hell was that for?!" Asked the colonel.

"You're useless in the rain, dumbo!" Lynn snarled.

"That's right, he can't even light a spark in this weather." Havoc commented from where he was standing (behind Lynn's wheelchair). Mustang looked depressed.

"State alchemists, and everyone else that stands in my way! I shall annihilate everyone here!" The scarred man roared. He cracked his fingers.

"Then try to!" Major Armstrong suddenly lunged from our of nowhere and broke the wall where the scarred man had stood only moments before. The two began fighting. Somehow, the major found time to take his shirt off and display his ginormous muscles.

"Hey, isn't Scar-man using alchemy?" I heard Lynn ask the colonel.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Brother asked, while Mustang just looked shocked.

"Well, the lightningy light show is similar."

"He's just stopping at the deconstruction phase, but other than that, it's alchemy." Said Brother.

"He's also an alchemist? So then, he's defying 'god', too, right?" Havoc looked confused.

"Yes. Not only that, but he's also only going after state alchemists. Just what is he...?" Mustang muttered.

The battle between the scarred man and the Major went on. Major Armstrong cornered him against the wall and was moving in for the final punch, when he spun back, leaving a gap.

Riza Hawkeye and Lynn opened fire. Hawkeye knocked his glasses off (she had a sniper rifle*), and Lynn got him in the shoulder.

"Did you get him?" Mustang asked.

"He's fast!" Hawkeye noted. "Lynn got him, though my shot only grazed him.

He looked up, and multiple people gasped. I might've gasped, too, but I didn't have a body.

"Red eyes and brown skin!" Mustang said, his teeth clenching.

"A Native American vampire!" Lynn shrieked.

Everybody paused (even the scarred man) and stared at her.

"What?!" She exclaimed defensively.

"No, not a 'vampire', an Ishvalan." Mustang said slowly, looking exhasperated. Lynn looked confused.

"I am at a disadvantage against this many opponents." The scarred man observed.

"Well, I'll be damned if Mustang's gonna let you get away, Vampy!" Lynn yelled, then looked hesitant. "Right?" She looked up at Mustang.

"Right! You're surrounded, Scar!" Mustang held up a hand and all the militia all raised their guns. Lynn raised her's, too.

The man, Scar, suddenly thrust his palm on the ground and it exploded. Everyone moved back, except for Lynn and I, because I couldn't move and Lynn couldn't move her wheelchair fast enough. It didn't matter much, because the destruction didn't reach either of us.

"The bastard went into the sewers!" Havoc knelt by the gaping hole in the ground.

"Don't follow him. It's dangerous." Mustang turned to Armstrong. "I'm sorry we couldn't get him, even after you bought us time."

"Think nothing of it. Rather than buying time, I was just trying not to die." Armstrong looked tired.

"Oh? Is it over?" Lieutenant Colonel Hughes peeked out from behind a wall.

"Where've you been?" Lynn asked.

"I was in hiding." He looked solemn while giving a thumbs-up. The corners of Lynn's mouth twitched.

"You're supposed to provide backup!" Mustang scolded.

"Are you kidding? A normal man like me does not fight with nutcases like you!" Hughes replied. Brother started coming over to where I lay slumped against the wall. Lynn looked over, worried.

"Nut!" Mustang fumed.

"If you guys are done fighting, I need a patrol of the city, pronto!" Hughes yelled at the officers. Brother stared at me, panicked.

"Alphonse! Al, are you okay?! Hey!" He cried out. I clenched my fist.

"You stupid brother!" I punched him in the face. "Why didn't you run away when I told you to run away?!"

"I couldn't just leave you..."

"That's why I called you stupid!" I punched him again.

"What's up with you?! If I was the only one who ran away, you might have been killed!"

"I might not have! How could choose to die when you could live?!"

"Don't go up to your brother and say he's stupid!"

"I'll say it again and again!" I grabbed Brother by the shirt. "You might find a way to restore our bodies if you survive and learn more about alchemy! And you might even find ways to save a poor girl like Nina!" I yelled, raging. "But how could you toss away that possibility and pick death?! I absolutely would never, ever forgive you if you did that!" Suddenly, my arm came off. "And you made my arm fall off! Brother, you bastard!"

"Ah. We're all falling apart. There's no way we can suck this much." Brother smiled, scratching his head with his good arm.

"But you're alive." Lynn started crying. I had forgotten she was there in my rage.

"Yeah. We're alive." Riza Hawkeye put a blanket around Brother's shoulders, and Havoc started wheeling Lynn away, lecturing her playfully, trying to get her to cheer up.

"I told you going for some fresh air was a bad idea. But that wasn't what you had in mind, was it? You just wanted to make sure Ed and Al were okay. Well, no more adventures for you until your foot's healed..." His voice faded as they went further and further away.

"Brother?"

"Mm?"

"Apologize to Lynn later. She came out here to make sure we were safe." I paused. "And I now know what it felt like to not be able to do anything to save someone you love from Scar. The only difference is that you lived and Lynn watched Nina die. Your words back there were uncalled for."

"Yeah. I know. I'll apologize."

"Brother?"

"What?"

"Winry's gonna kill you."

. . . . . . . . . .

*** I have no idea if it was a sniper rifle in the manga; it just looked like one to me. Then again, I know nothing about guns, so who knows? xD**

**Well, here it is. Hope you've enjoyed, and I'll be sure to get right on the next chapter and write it.**

**~Rabbit**


	9. A Stone Is Not A Liquid

**Alrighty! Here's chapter nine!**

**And Lynn drops the f-bomb again. Thought I'd warn ya.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"The Ishvalans were a race of people in the East Area who worshipped their absolute One God of Creation, Ishvala. Due to differences in religious values, there were frequent conflicts between us and them. Thirteen years ago, when an officer shot an Ishvalan child by accident, an enormous civil war erupted. Riot brought about riot, and before anyone knew, the flames of the rebellion spread throughout the East Area. An operation was ordered by the military brass after seven years of offensive and defensive warfare- To deploy the state alchemists in the Ishval annihilation campaign. The intent was probably to test out their practical usage on the battlefield. Many practitioners were dispatched as human weapons. I was one of those practitioners. That is why that man, a survivor of Ishval, is justified in wanting vengeance." Mustang finished. Ed, Al, and I were sitting in front of his desk. Well, I was in a wheelchair and Ed and Al sat on the couch. Hughes, Hawkeye, Armstrong, and two other people I didn't know were sitting in chairs around us. Havoc stood behind me, smoking.

This was my first time seeing Ed and Al since the battle, and I wasn't sure if Ed was still mad at me, so I avoided looking at him.

"That's bullshit. There's no such thing as justice and crap in getting vengeance on innocent people. He's only wrapping his craving for vengeance by acting like a 'Messenger of God' and being all high and mighty about it." Edward said.

"Question!" I raised my hand.

"What?" Mustang asked.

"How the fuck does a trained military soldier shoot a child on accident?"

"Who cares? What's done is done. Anyway, back to Scar." Mustang waved his hand, dismissing my perfectly valid question.

"Someone who despises alchemy is using that same alchemy to get revenge." Hughes said. "The sort of people who don't care about how things get done are the most dangerous and the scariest."

"We also cannot worry about how things get done. we cannot die yet." Mustang rested his elbow on his desk. "The next time we meet, there will be no talk. We'll take him out."

"Anyhow! Here ends this boring topic." Hughes began to rise. "What are you Elric brothers gonna do now?"

"Yeah.. I want to fix Al's armor, but I can't use that technique with this arm.." Ed mused.

"Shall I fix you?" Major Armstrong had found time to take off his shirt and flex his sparkling muscles. I laughed as Al said he'd pass.

"I'm the only one who knows how Al's soul is bound to the armor, so first I have to fix my arm." Edward explained.

"That's right...since Edward can't use alchemy..." Hawkeye put her hand to her face, thinking.

"Just another kid with a rotten tongue." Havoc leaned on my wheelchair.

"A bratty little midget." Hughes said.

"Worthless." Said Mustang.

"Worthless!" I echoed cheerfully.

Hawkeye nodded.

"Sorry, Brother, I can't say anything." Said Al apologetically.

"That's bullying!" Edward raged. Then he calmed down. "I guess I have no choice. I'll have to go to my mechanic."

. . . . . . . . . .

Gah, why did I have to get stuck with Armstrong and Lynn?

We were on the train to Resembool. It hadn't yet pulled out from the station. Lynn was quiet, avoiding my eyes. She sat across from Armstrong and I. Armstrong was squishing me against the window. Lynn's wheelchair was with Alphonse, wherever the Major had put him.

She wore a grey dress that went all the way down to her ankles. It had long sleeves and a high collar. Riza had braided her long, grey hair, and it looked rather pretty. Both Havoc and Riza had done a great job with her dress and hair.

***flashback to previous day***

Armstrong stood in front of me, weeping. Lynn looked shocked, while everyone else just kind of stared.

"I'VE HEARD ABOUT YOU, EDWARD ELRIC!" Armstrong enveloped me in a crushing hug, then let go to clench his fist. "Your pure love that made you try to bring back your mother! And your mighty love that made you prepared to throw away your own life to transmute your little brother's soul!" He jumped in for a hug again. "I AM MOVED!"

"Don't come near me." I stuck my foot in his face, then turned to Mustang. "You've got a big mouth, Colonel."

"Well, when I was approached by someone that big and scary, along with Lynn (who made an adorable face called 'a puppy dog face'), I had no choice but to talk about your past..."

"And that is why..." Armstrong wiped his tears with a lace handkerchief. "I shall take the responsibility of being your escort until we meet your prosthesis specialist!"

"What?! I don't need an escort!"

"Edward. Are you saying you're going to leave like you are now when you might be attacked by Scar again?" Hawkeye reasoned. "Doesn't it make sense to take an escort who can stand up to him?"

"And you can't carry Al around with that body, can you?" Havoc lit a cigarette.

"So I'll go with somebody other than the Major!" I tried to argue for my side.

"I got tons of work to do, so I gotta go back to central." -Hughes

"I can't leave HQ." -Mustang

"It's very hectic to watch over the colonel because he'll ditch work." -Hawkeye

"I've got zero confidence in protecting you when it's that dangerous." -Havoc

"Same as what he said!" -Three other military guys

"It's decided!" Armstrong clapped a hand on my head.

"Don't judge things for me!"

"Children should listen to what adults say!"

"Don't treat me like a kid! Why, you... Al! Say something, too!" I turned to my dearest little brother for help.

"BROTHER! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN TREATED LIKE A KID SINCE I BECAME A SUIT OF ARMOR!" It was officially hopeless if even Al thought it was a good idea.

"I'll come, too! Don't worry, I'll make sure Armstrong doesn't crush ya!" Lynn said cheerfully. Then, looking at the floor, she murmured, "If you- if you'll have me."

"Ack." I felt really guilty about the other day. "Yeah. Sure. You can come."

"Yes! If it's decided, let us pack without delay!" Armstrong said.

Lynn went with Havoc to get her a new military uniform and some dresses. I reluctantly packed my few belongings.

***back to present day***

*knock, knock*

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes!" I looked out the window to see him standing there. I opened the window.

"The guys from HQ were too busy to drop by, so they sent me here instead. I've brought two messages from Roy. The first is for you, Ed."

"From the colonel?"

"'Post-processing is a bit of a pain, so I will not permit you to die withing my jurisdiction'."

"Tell him I said, 'Roger that. I will not die before you do, Colonel Shit.'"

Hughes chuckled and Lynn snickered. "Wicked brats are aplenty in the world. You and that bastard Roy ought to have long lives!"

"You said there was a second message?" I asked, curious.

"Oh, yeah, this one's for Lynn. 'We can't find your leg braces yet, but we'll keep looking. Until then, you're wheelchair-bound, sorry about that. And make sure you take the pills the doctor prescribed. They'll help you heal quicker.'"

"Okay. Tell him I said thanks." Lynn smiled.

"Well then, be careful on your journey!" Hughes saluted us. All three of us saluted back, and I apologized for having to use my left hand. I did have some respect for Hughes, if not Mustang.

Once the train had started, Armstrong began talking.

"This will be my first time meeting an automail mechanic."

"To be more accurate, she's sort of a surgeon, a prosthetic harnesser, and an automail tuner. She's an old friend, so she'll make it cheap and do a good job."

"What's Resembool like?" He asked.

"It's an amazing village. Ain't nothing there. Because of the East Area civil war, things just don't happen there anymore. If the army had done a better job, there might have been more stuff going on down there."

"I don't like the sound of that." Armstrong said after a brief pause.

"Want me to go on?" I asked dryly. "It's a really quiet place. There's nothing there, but it has a lot of stuff that cities are missing." A smile found its way to my face as I thought of my hometown. "That reminds me, you did put Al on this train, didn't you?"

"Ohoho, he is indeed here. I put him in the livestock car. I thought he would be lonely by himself."

"What the hell do you think my little brother is?!"

"Why would you not be happy?! It's large, cheap, and lively! Does he not have everything he could want?"

"Stop screwing around!" I almost hit the Major.

I noticed Lynn was idly staring out the window, and I became concerned. "You alright, Lynn?"

"Mmm." She murmured. I began to feel guilty. Did she hate me now? I wanted to apologize, but I didn't want to do it in front of the Major. I settled on taking a nap.

A while later, we stopped at one station where the Major suddenly rose up and stared out the window in shock.

"Waah!" I cried out.

"Dr. Marcoh!" He called. "Are you not Dr. Marcoh?!" An older man who's dark hair was greying with age turned to look at us. "It's me! Alex Lois Armstrong, from Central!" The man paled, a look of fear coming on his face. He ran in terror.

"You know him?" Lynn asked. I felt relieved that she finally spoke.

"Yes. He is a very capable alchemist from an alchemic research agency of Central. He took part in research to use alchemy for medicinal purposes, but he disappeared after the civil war."

I suddenly jumped up. I had an idea. "Let's get off! If that guy researched what you said he did, he might know something about biological transmutation! Hurry and get Al and the luggage!" I ran off the train. Armstrong scooped up Lynn, who squeaked in surprise, and followed me. He unloaded Lynn's wheelchair first, and placed her in it. He grabbed Al and hoisted him over his shoulder, and then picked up the luggage. "Al, you reek of sheep!" I complained.

"I didn't ask to get all smelly!" He retorted.

We asked locals if they had seen him.

Lynn and Armstrong drew pictures of Marcoh to show them. "You two are great at art!" I exclaimed.

"This is the artistry that has been passed down to generation after generation of the Armstrongs!" He got that sparkly look.

"Grams saw that I liked drawing so she put me in art classes." I looked down a little to see Lynn twiddling her thumbs, embarrassed. It felt kind of good to be able to see her by looking down. It made me feel tall. Then I felt immensely guilty, because she didn't ask to break her foot or ankle or whatever, loose her leg braces, and get stuck in a wheelchair.

"That's Dr. Mauro!" A townsman said. "As you can see, this town isn't the richest. We don't have money to get any doctors, but he doesn't care about that."

"He's a good man!" Said another we encountered.

"He won't abandon us. He'll check up on a patient that everyone thinks has no chance of being saved." A third chimed in.

"When my leg got caught up in a tractor and it looked like I was a goner, he fixed it up just like new!" Said a farmer.

"And when he was healing, I thought there was this bright flash and it was already healed!" One woman said.

"Flash?" Lynn asked.

"Most likely alchemy." Said Armstrong.

"So he took a fake name and his in this village. Why did he run away?" I mused. Some helpful villagers had pointed out Marcoh's house for us and we were on our way there.

"When the doctor disappeared, I heard that some important classified files also disappeared. There was a rumor that he stole them." Armstrong said.

"Damnit!" Lynn exclaimed.

"What?" I turned back, startled.

"To get to his door you have to climb a bajillion damn stairs!" She pointed, and that was true.

"What's the big deal- oh. Wheelchair. Right." I looked at the thing thoughtfully.

"Can you wait here, Lynn?" Alphonse asked from his position on Armstrong's shoulder.

"I guess, if you want." She grumbled. Armstrong and I made our way up the tall steps, and I knocked on Marcoh's door. I opened it slowly.

"Hello?" Instead of a smiling man greeting me, I got a gun in my face. I jumped backwards, dodging a bullet as Marcoh tried to shoot me. "Uwaa!"

"What did you come here for?! Did you come to take me back?!"

"Please calm down-" Armstrong began, when more bullets flew, but this time from Lynn's direction. None hit anyone, but they were embedded in the door. They must've been warning shots. Marcoh spun around and saw her pointing a gun at him, eyes narrowed. I had forgotten she had that.

"Shoot them again, and the next one will go right between your eyes!" She yelled up, sounding enraged.

"Lynn, calm down, it was just a misunderstanding!" Armstrong called down to her.

"Misunderstanding?!" I clutched my chest, my heart pounding furiously. "He just tried to shoot me in the face!"

"I don't want to go back there! Please, just let me be!" His gun went from being pointed at us, to Lynn, and back to us, like he couldn't decide who was the greatest threat.

"That's not true. Please listen to what I have to say." Armstrong said.

"Then did you come here to silence me by killing me?!"

"First, calm down and drop the gun-"

"I won't be fooled!"

"I SAID TO CALM DOWN!" Armstrong flung Alphonse at him, knocking him over.

After a few minutes of confusion and running up and down steps(by Armstrong), all of us were in Marcoh's house. Armstrong, Marcoh and I sat at a table in chairs, Alphonse was in his crate on the ground, and Lynn was sitting in her wheelchair next to him to keep him company.

"I couldn't do it." Marcoh began. "Even though it was an order from above, to be made to dirty my hands on it, I..." He paused. "And then I was used at the East Area civil war as a tool for mass murder. It was a truly horrible battle. Too many innocent bystanders dead." He paused again, brow furrowed. "What I have done are things that cannot be atoned for just by taking my life. Even so, I am acting as a doctor here for as long as I can."

"Just what did you research and what did you escape with?" Asked Armstrong.

"I made a Philosopher's Stone. The research files and a stone are what I brought with me."

"You have a stone?!" I exclaimed. This was too good to be true.

"Yes. It's in here." He held up a little bottle with a red liquid in it.

"Stones are solid, that's a liquid..." Lynn said confused. Then Marcoh poured it on a table, and it formed a little squishy rock.

"Uwoah!" Lynn said, pushing her wheelchair closer to get a better look.

"'The Philosopher's Stone', 'The Celestial Stone', 'The Great Elixir', 'The Red Tincture', 'The Fifth Element'." Marcoh listed those names as I poked the jelly-like stone. "Just as the Philosopher's Stone has many names, its shape is not limited to that of a stone. However, they remained experimental creations up until the end. Imperfect objects that will eventually reach their limitations and become unusable. And yet, they were secretly used during the civil war, and their overwhelming power was demonstrated."

"I see. Corn Cereal's stone must have been imperfect, then, huh?" Lynn said to Alphonse.

"What are you talking about?" Marcoh stared at her, confused.

"Even though you're saying they're an imperfect creation, making it means that with further research, we might be able to make a perfect one!" I exclaimed, my brain racing. "Dr. Marcoh, can you show me the research files you took?!" I slammed my good hand on the table excitedly, startling Marcoh.

"What should I say to him? Armstrong, who is this boy?" Marcoh turned towards Armstrong.

"A state alchemist."

"And now even children." Marcoh blanched, putting his head in his hands. "To obtain enormous research funding, you were probably lured in by its privileges and obtained a license. What foolishness!"

"Edward is not foolish!" Lynn said angrily. I felt a touch better at hearing her defend me. Maybe she didn't hate me after all.

"After the civil war, how many practitioners do you think there were that couldn't bear to remain being human weapons and relinquished their licenses?! And yet, he still.."

"I know it was a foolish decision!" I clenched my fist. "Thanks for defending me, though, Lynn." My gaze softened as acknowledged her efforts, then I turned back to Marcoh, hardening my expression once more. "Until I accomplish my objectives, I'm going to have to continue to sit on this bed of thorns!" I clutched my stump of a right arm, glaring.

In order to convince him to give me the files, I told him our story.

"You know, the idea was to keep that a secret.." Lynn muttered. I ignored her.

"I was surprised." Marcoh leaned back. "I didn't think it possible to successfully transmute the soul of a particular person. You might be able to create a perfect Philosopher's Stone."

"Then..!" I leaned forward, feeling excited. Al and I were so close. We could get our bodies back.

"I cannot show you the files!" His expression was determined.

"No way!" My heart plummeted. We were so close.

"This is the end of discussion. Go home. I cannot have you using the stone for something as minor as restoring your bodies."

"Minor? _Minor_? What's wrong with wanting to be perfectly healthy, to run on your own two feet, to feel the grass or the wind or the rain?!" Lynn raged at him. I had the feeling that she was not only talking about me and Al, but herself as well. Does she think we're going to fix her? No, that's not it. She's just upset that Marcoh thinks our bodies are worthless.

"It's better if you didn't see it. That's the research of the devil." Marcoh stood and turned away from us. "Once you know about it, you'll see the very face of hell."

"If you're talking about hell, I saw it a long time ago!" I gritted my teeth, yelling without thinking. Marcoh turned back.

"I can't let you." He said after a pause. "Go home."

Armstrong picked up Al and our bags. We walked out.

We then, of course, had to come back for Lynn, who couldn't get down the stairs by herself.

At the train station, we stopped to rest.

"Is this really alright?" Armstrong asked us. "While you wouldn't have been able to see the files, you could have quickly taken the stone by force."

"Hell yeah! I really, really wanted it!" I looked up at the sky. "But then I remembered the people we met on the way to Marcoh's house. Even if we restored our bodies by robbing this town of its life support, it'd just leave a really nasty aftertaste, ya know?"

"We'll just look for a different way to fix you two!" Lynn said, grinning. "Right?"

"Yep." Said Al.

"Oh, yeah, Major, are you fine with this, too? You didn't report anything to central about Marcoh." I looked over at him, curious.

"Marcoh? Whatever do you mean? The man I met today was only a town doctor named Mauro." He sparkled.

"Hell yes!" Lynn punched the air. "I'm proud of you, Major!"

I grinned. "Gonna have to start from scratch again. Man, this is a really long road."

"Hey!" Marcoh approached us, holding an envelope.

"This is the place where the research files are hidden. Look at this if you won't regret knowing the truth. And if it's you, you will uncover the truth behind the truth." He handed the envelope to me, looking solemn. "No, I've said too much. I pray that you will restore your bodies one day, all of you." He turned to go. Major and Lynn saluted him. I bowed, grateful.

We opened the envelope. "Let me see, let me see!" Lynn begged. I handed it to her after reading it. "National Central Library. First Branch." She spoke, sounding curious.

"So he 'hid a tree in a forest'. The amount withing that library's stock of books is staggering." Said Armstrong.

"Yay! More reading!" Lynn grinned.

"You didn't even read at all last time!" I exclaimed.

"That's the point; I get to read and help this time!" She grinned even wider.

"Brother! This road isn't a dead end!" Alphonse said happily.

"Yeah." I smiled.

Soon, we had boarded a train to Resembool. Our detour had brought us hope, and we were on our way.

. . . . . . . . . .

**I just watched a great movie. It's called Silver Linings Playbook. Lots of swearing, you know, like f-bombs, s word, yadda yadda yadda, but amazing storyline and such. I'm gonna read the book next. I would've read the book first, except I didn't know there was a book until just now.**

**Did I actually just write an entire chapter in Edward's POV? I think I did... No, wait, Lynn had some time in the beginning.**

**Anyway, Winry and Pinako are in the next chapter! And Lynn will tell her side of the story more, too! I promise!**

**And Dreamer372, you have good futuristic senses. *sparkly Major impersonation face***

**'Til next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	10. Never Underestimate A Wrench

**This shall mostly be in Lynn's point of view, I think.**

**My computer mouse has been freezing up and junk lately. It's annoying.**

. . . . . . . . . .

We had finally arrived in Resembool and were on a dirt path to a nice-looking house.

Edward waved to a really short figure in the distance. "Yo! Granny Pinako, we need your assistance." A sweet looking black dog with three normal legs and one normal leg sniffed my wheelchair. I let him sniff my hand and, finding him friendly, petted his head.

The shorty, who happened to be an old woman, walked over to us.

"This is Major Armstrong," Edward pointed to the Major. "And this is Lynn." He pointed to me.

"That's all well and good," The woman smoked on a pipe. "But in the time you've been gone, Ed, you've gotten shorter."

"WHO DID YOU SAY WAS SMALL, MINI HAG?!"

"OH, YEAH, ULTRA SQUIRT?!"

"MIDGET HAG!"

"MICRO SQUIRT!"

"FLEA SIZED HAG!"

A moment ago, she might've reminded me of Grams. This bickering made me think that the two were less similar. I mean, sure, Grams had a tongue on her, but she would never fight verbally like that, unless it was against the court.

"Hey, Ed!" A blonde woman stood on the balcony of the house. She had pretty blue eyes, medium length blonde hair, amazing baggy pants, and a rather skimpy breast-coverage-thing. She threw a wrench with surprising accuracy. It hit Edward in the head, and he fell back, bleeding. A lump started to form. "Didn't I tell you to call at least once before you showed up for a maintenance check?!" My hand flew to my gun, but a look from Alphonse stopped me from shooting the attacker on sight.

"Winry, you jackass! Are you trying to kill me?!" Edward yelled back.

"Ahahaha! Welcome home, dummy!" She grinned.

"Yeah." Ed muttered.

"We're home!" Al said cheerfully. I just sat there, confused.

"Come on in, Wheely, Armstrong." Pinako gestured towards the house.

Once inside, Winry served us all a cup of tea and Edward removed his jacket.

"WAAAAAAH?!" Winry pointed at Edward's stump. Feeling a storm, I sat back to watch the show, sipping the adequate tea.

"Oh, sorry. It got busted up." Ed sipped his tea.

"'Busted up'?! Edward, wait one minute! How were you using that first class automail I so painstakingly made?!"

"Got totally smashed up into little pieces." Edward smiled. Winry looked like her soul had just flown away.

"So, what happened? Why's Al all busted up? Just what were you guys doing?" Winry glared suspiciously at Alphonse. A wrench was buried in Edward's head.

"We fought vampires." I whispered, grinning. "Speaking of which, I am soooo glad Edward does not sparkle in the sunlight. That would kill me. I would die of laughter." I chuckled. Winry just looked confused.

A few minutes later, Ed had removed his pants and put on some shorts. Pinako was taking some measurements.

"So you want to go to Central as soon as possible to get the files on the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Yeah, I want this done, pronto."

"Riiight. It's not just the arm, your leg's going to need some adjusting." Pinako muttered.

"Oh, you've gotten bigger. The last time we measured you, you were at-"

"AAAGHAH!" Edward yelled, staring at me, blushing. I guess he didn't want me to know how short he really was. I snickered.

"-cm, right?" Winry teased.

"The leg's fine because we still have the base, but the arm will have to be made from scratch." Pinako poked Ed's knee.

"So that'll be a week, right?" Edward asked.

"Don't underestimate me. Give me three days." Pinako took a puff of her pipe and grinned. She then popped Ed's leg right off. "Make do with this leg for a while."

"Uwoah!" I gaped. "Didn't that hurt?!"

"Nah." Edward stood, wobbling. "It's hard to walk on legs I'm not used to." He said, surprised.

"At least you _can _walk." I muttered without thinking. So I was a little jealous. Maybe a lot.

"After carving, there's assembling, adjusting, connecting, and finishing.." Winry groaned. "This is gonna take all night!"

"Sorry for making you do so much." Ed said.

"You want to go to Central as soon as possible, right? So shouldn't I do as much as I can?" She smiled. Edward blushed a little, and I resisted a snicker. That would be mean. "'Cause in exchange, I'll be getting oodles of cash from you right away!" Winry grinned. I was definitely not the mean one here.

"Ah, and Winry, I brought you a present!" Edward grinned.

"Ooh, you did? You did?"

"Meet Lynn, your new friend!" Edward gestured to me, and I gaped.

"Eh?!"

"Uwah! My first female friend!" Winry ran over, as if she was only just now noticing me, and towered over my sitting form. I flinched. "I'm Winry Rockbell!"

"I-I'm Lynn Grey." I shook her hand.

"We're going to be best of friends!" She started pushing my wheelchair away. I turned back, looking at Ed and Al. Al had no expression, of course, and Ed was grinning wickedly.

"So, why are you in a wheelchair, Lynn Grey?" Winry had found an enormous strength and had pushed me up the stairs and into her workroom. She sat down at a table, and I wheeled myself over to watch her.

"My leg braces...are missing." I wasn't sure how much Ed and Al wanted her to know about their adventures.

"Leg braces?"

"My legs are all messed up and I can't walk without braces to support me."

"Why is that?"

I paused. I desperately wanted to tell somebody, but I wasn't sure if she was trustworthy.

"You can tell me. I promise I won't tell." She turned to face me, looking thoughtful. "I'll tell you something. My parents died in the Ishvalan Civil War. I'm an orphan."

"My mom is in jail, and I don't know my dad." I blurted. Then I covered my face with my hands, embarrassed.

"We could get Edward to ask Mustang to get her out, you know. Ed has connections." I looked up to see her smiling at me.

"I know he has connections." I paused. "I'm not from here, so Mustang couldn't do anything even if I wanted her out of jail."

"You don't want to get her out?"

"I never want to see her again." I confessed. Winry put her mechanical-tool-things down.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" She asked gently.

"I-I do, actually." I paused. "My mom- My mom did not make the best choices in life. She got mad easily, and hated that her situation was her fault. She took it out on me." Winry watched me, her expression serious. "I- I didn't want her to come home. I hid when she entered the house, and that just made her even more mad. She would beat me for no reason, and I'd apologize because I'd want her to stop, but that just made her angrier and she didn't stop." I licked my lips nervously. Winry looked kind of pale. I didn't know if I should go on.

"And?" She coaxed gently.

"She would beat me with a whip sometimes. You know, like the ones they use on horses." I looked at my legs. "One day, she came home and was livid. She took a chair, and smashed it over my legs while I was sleeping. She didn't take me to the hospital, so they healed all wrong. It didn't help that she continued to beat me. And now I can't walk." I took a shaky breath. I had never told anyone that. Not even Grams. I mean, Grams knew already from the police, of course, but I had never said those things aloud.

"Oh my god." Winry looked shaken, like she had seen a ghost. "D-did you ever escape?"

"One day, I ventured outside my house for the first time. I was eleven years old. I crawled outside, looking for any signs of life. Luckily for me, a cop car was sitting across from our house and had pulled somebody over for speeding. It wasn't my mom, but the person noticed me. The police came over and started questioning me."

"You had never been outside? What did the police say?"

"Yeah, mother had never sent me to school, and she had forbade me from leaving the house. I was feeling defiant that day. Anyway, the police asked me stuff like, 'Is your parent home?' 'What's wrong with your legs?' 'Why aren't you at school?' 'How old are you?' 'How did you get those scars?'"

"Scars?" She asked. I rolled up my sleeve, displaying a few. She blanched a little more so I rolled the sleeve back down.

"After it seemed evident that my mother, wherever she was at the time, was unable to take care of me. They took me to the station. From my descriptions of her, they arrested my mother and started looking for a foster parent for me. That's when Grams came in to my life. She heard about me and wanted to adopt me. There was a court case calling for my mother's arrest and she pleaded guilty, so when Grams wanted to adopt me nobody protested much. We lived happily until a few months ago, when Grams died of cancer. I didn't even know she had it. Grams did not say anything about it at all." I clenched my fist.

"Hey, Lynn?" Winry touched my shoulder gently. "I could make you some leg braces, if you want." She changed the subject smoothly.

"Really?" I looked up. I mean, sure, being pushed around could be fun, but I was ready to get out of this wheelchair. My foot was feeling better, and if I took my pills I should be back to normal in no time at all, if the doctors could be believed. "I would appreciate that sooo much. It means so much to me."

"Let's get your legs measured, shall we?" She pulled out a couch for me to lie on, and prepared to help me out of my wheelchair. I hesitated.

"Promise you won't- you know, laugh, throw up, etc?"

"I promise."

"Then okay." She helped me lie down on the couch, and then she pulled out a tape measure, pushing up my dress. I popped a few pills in my mouth while she was distracted. As she measured, she told me about Edward and Alphonse burning down their house, Edward's swift and strong automail fittings, and a few other things from their childhood.

"Winry, dinner!" Pinako called up.

"Coming!" She yelled down. "Just in time, eh, Lynn?" She smiled at me and helped me back to my wheelchair.

We went down to eat. Al was sitting in his box. Here's how we sat; Winry sat next to me, I sat next to Armstrong, Armstrong sat next to Pinako, Pinako sat next to Ed, and Ed sat next to Winry. The food was great.

Later, as Winry got me some pajamas and I lay on the blankets layed on the floor next to Winry's bed, I thought back to how Edward was strong and brave when he got his automail fittings as a kid. I wondered if I would scream if I did that. I might, though Mother's treatment had made me resilient against pain.

"Winry?"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow, will you tell me something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Will you tell me everything there is to know about getting automail?"

"Mmkay. If you want, I can tell you now."

"That would be nice, if you're not tired."

"It's extremely painful; connecting all the nerves and such. Then there's rehab, and that can take a while."

"How much does automail cost?"

"We make good quality for a smaller price than other places, since the people in this town can't pay much. Why do you ask?"

I paused, then decided to speak.

. . . . . . . . . .

Lynn and Winry were as thick as thieves. Al and I rarely saw them over the next two days. Winry was working on my automail, and Lynn spent all her time with her.

"I wonder what they're up to." I sighed.

"They're probably talking about whatever it is girls talk about." Al said.

"I'm so booooooored."

"It's nice to get a break once and a while."

"I'm not good with breaks! I rolled on the ground. Al chuckled.

"I can see that. Well, you've already visited Mother's grave."

"Yeah, I did that yesterday."

"So, what're you going to do now?"

"Gah, who knows?" I rolled around some more.

***time jump***

"Okay, here goes." I was sitting on a chair, getting ready for the nerves to be connected. Lynn was sitting on the edge of her seat, staring with curiosity.

"One..." Winry began the count.

"Two.." Granny Pinako tensed up. So did I.

"Three!" The two women said together, adjusting something with their wrenches. I tensed, crying out in pain.

"Gah, I always hate the moment when the nerves get connected." I sighed.

"Don't whine. It's not that bad. Try to move your arm." Winry glanced at Lynn for some odd reason.

"But I'll probably be able to say goodbye to this pain." I daydreamed. "Once I get my hands on the Philosopher's Stone, I'll restore our bodies and life will be great."

"Too bad, you're our cash cow." Granny Pinako remarked.

"Yeah, don't bother restoring your body. Isn't it cool to have automail?" Winry glanced at Lynn again and then went on her little fan-girl rant. "The smell of oil, the squeaking of artificial muscles, the humming of bearings... And an ergonomically designed strong, beautiful form... Aaah, the wonders of automail!" She got a dreamy look on her face, holding her wrench close like it was a baby.

"Machine geek." I muttered.

"Shut up, alchemy geek." She held up her wrench threateningly.

"I think it's cool!" Lynn chimed.

"All set." Said Granny Pinako. "How is it?"

"Feels good." I stretched.

"I figured you're going to..." Winry started blabbing about how there was more chrome and the strength was reduced or something, so I tuned her out.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Al!" I skipped over to him, ignoring Winry's yelling. "Are these all the pieces of your armor?"

"Yep, the police gathered 'em up for me."

"Will you fix him now?" Armstrong asked.

"Yeah, but there's a little trick to it. See the seal on the interior of the back?"

"Yes."

"This is acting as the medium between Al's soul and the armor."

"It seems like it's written in blood." Lynn had wheeled over to get a closer look.

"It is written in blood. My blood." I ignored Armstrong's and Lynn's look on their faces. "That was pretty dangerous, huh, Al?" I smiled.

"Yeah, if he'd hit any closer, I'd have been a goner." We both lightly chuckled. I clapped my hands and performed the transmutation that fixed Al. Lynn applauded lightly.

"You have to teach me how to do that."

"Al!" Soon we were sparring. Lynn had gone off somewhere with Winry, and Armstrong watched.

. . . . . . . . . .

"What are they doing?" Winry and I watched Ed, Al, and Armstrong fight.

"Sparring?" I guessed.

"Enough of that. How are your new braces faring?"

"Pretty well, thanks. My foot still hurts a little, but I've been taking my pills, so I'll get better soon." I wiggled a leg awkwardly. "I can't wait to surprise Al and Ed."

"How long will you be staying?"

"I'm planning on leaving with Edward and Alphonse, if they'll have me. I need time to think, anyway." I scratched my head. "And to tell them, ya know?"

"Yeah. And I'll work on it."

"Thanks. I'll come back soon, though."

"Will you keep them safe?" She clasped my hand urgently.

"I will. Don't worry. They'll come home safe." I gave her hand a squeeze.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"It's a deal, then?"

"Deal." We shook on it. "Oh, and take this wrench."

"O-okay." I took the nice, solid wrench from Winry's hands. Carved on the side were the letters 'LG'. Lynn Grey. It wasn't professional lettering, it was probably done with a knife, but I clutched it to my chest.

"Use it to whack Ed if he does anything stupid." Winry grinned.

"Thanks, Winry. I will." I smiled back. "Never underestimate the power of the almighty wrench!" I got in a heroic pose, lifting the wrench high in the air like it was a sword. Winry giggled.

We went downstairs for food a little while later.

"Look!" I grinned, walking awkwardly. I was wearing a pair of Winry's baggy pants (I like pants better than dresses, okay?) and a shirt I borrowed from Pinako. Well, it was actually Pinako's long-sleeved nightgown, but on me it was like a long-ish shirt.

"Oh, did Winry make those? Cool, now you can walk again!" Edward grinned, and I felt happy.

"Our sensei used to say, 'To train the mind, one must first train the body'." Al was saying.

"So when you have free time, you spar? That'll break the automail right away!" Winry complained as she and I sat down.

"Well, I'm making money." Pinako said happily. She took a swig of ale or beer or whatever that was from her tankard.

"However, they are correct. A healthy mind rests in a well-trained, beautiful body. Behold my body!" Armstrong stood and flexed his huge muscles, making his shirt rip up and fall off.

"Al, pass that sauce." Edward pointed at a sauce. I handed it to Al, who handed it to Edward. "Tomorrow, we're boarding a train straight back to Central!"

"Oh, this place'll get quiet again." Pinako remarked. The old woman had grown on me.

"Heh, and when we restore our bodies we won't need Granny or Winry!" Ed grinned.

"Yeah, right, kiddo!" Said Pinako.

"And this jerkface can't do anything without us mechanics!" Winry elbowed me playfully. I grinned.

"Who are you calling a jerkface?!" Edward fumed.

The meal went on like that. Later, Edward fell asleep on the couch.

"He fell asleep with his stomach exposed again... Oh well." Al muttered.

"Ahaha, you're just like his guardian, Al!" Pinako chuckled. I wondered why sleeping with your stomach exposed was bad. Did it have to do with manners or something?

"I've really had enough. It's a pain to have a high maintenance brother." Al fumed.

"It's hard to tell which of you is the elder and which is the younger." Winry smiled. She and I covered Edward with a blanket.

"How old are you, anyway?" I asked curiously.

"I'm fourteen. Brother is fifteen. And you?"

"Fifteen." I said.

"I'm fifteen, too!" Said Winry cheerfully. "It's funny that this 'human weapon' is such a pipsqueak." She chuckled.

"And he's sleeping like a baby." I smiled.

"Ah! Let me tell you a story." Al preceded to tell them about Youswell, an how when the miners said that Youswell was their home, he went overboard to help them. I had heard it before, but Winry and Pinako hadn't.

"I see! So it was the 'home' part, eh?" Pinako chuckled. Drawing a puff from her pipe, she said, "The pain of losing your home must've hit you hard, huh?"

"Yeah. That's why we're always grateful to Winry and Granny for being our family." He paused. "We would like for Lynn to be a part of our family, too."

"Really?" My breath caught in my throat.

"Yeah. It's really hard for Brother to express his gratitude to Winry and Granny, and he's been trying to work up to apologize to you for what he said a while ago."

I walked over and clasped Al's hand. "It's alright." I smiled at him, blinking back tears. Then I changed topics. "Did you ever regret burning your house down?"

He didn't seem surprised that i knew. "No, but sometimes I really want to cry." He paused. "I feel like if I cried, even once, I would break down. But that doesn't matter anyway, because I can't cry in this body."

"There's a dummy who doesn't cry even though he has a body that can." Winry said, sitting on the couch next to Ed's sleeping form. "This dummy is just asking tough."

The next morning, Ed, Al, Armstrong, Pinako, and I were standing on the gravel path outside the house.

"Thanks for taking care of the four of us, Granny." Edward said, pulling on his gloves.

"No problem." She replied.

"Where's Winry?" Al asked.

"Sleeping." Said Pinako.

"She's been staying up all night." I explained.

"Want me to wake her?" Asked Pinako.

"Nah, she'll probably just start blabbing about how we have to take care of the automail or something. Tell her we said goodbye." Edward said.

"Tell her thank you, also." I put in. Edward looked confused, but Pinako nodded.

"Well, goodbye." Edward waved. We turned to go.

"Y'all come back and eat breakfast some time, ya hear?" Pinako called.

"Fool, who'd come all the way out here just to eat breakfast?" Ed replied rudely.

"Fufufu..." Armstrong chuckled.

"What?"

"It must be nice, having a wonderful family to return to." He said.

"We're more of the wandering type." Ed muttered.

"Ed, Al, Lynn!" Winry called down from the balcony, sounding sleepy. "See you later." She waved, eyelids droopy.

"Bye!" I waved, grinning. The other three followed my lead and waved, too.

Then we left.

Later, once we had boarded a train, Ed got really quiet.

I was sitting next to Armstrong and Ed was sitting next to Al. Al elbowed Ed, and Ed looked at me, then looked out the window, embarrassed.

"Lynn..." He began.

"Yes?"

"I'd like to...apologize for what I said. You know, at the hospital." He cleared his throat nervously. "I was just upset. I wasn't thinking. I don't...blame you, or anything."

I felt like a huge weight was suddenly lifted from my shoulders. Edward and Alphonse had been nice to me since then, but I had wondered if they still blamed me for Nina's death. The fact that they didn't made me feel relieved. Tears came to my eyes.

"Lynn? What's the matter? Why are you crying?!" Edward looked at me, startled and worried.

"I'm happy." I choked out, crying and laughing at the same time. "I was worried that I had lost my only friends. I thought that you still blamed me for-" I wept with joy.

"We will always be your friends, Lynn." Alphonse leaned closer and grabbed one of my hands. "You don't ever have to worry about it being otherwise."

"Yeah. We've got your back, and you've got ours. Equivalent exchange, right?" Edward smiled.

"Alchemy is your solution for everything!" I laughed, wiping my nose with a tissue Armstrong handed me.

"Edward Elric!" He roared suddenly. "Whatever did you say to this beauteous young woman in the hospital to make her so upset? That was unchivalrous of you!" He leaned in close to Edward. I started laughing at Ed's panicked look. "You must find inspiration to be chivalrous again! Use my body as that inspiration!" He lost his short and flexed his huge muscles, sparkling. I half suspected if it was him who was the sparkly vampire, not Edward.

The rest of the trip went like that. Ed tried to avoid Armstrong's criticism, and I regaled Alphonse with fairy tale stories, such as The Ugly Duckling and Beauty and the Beast. Edward used that as a debate topic, arguing about how stupid the stories were and pointing out flaws.

Everything was going to be fine.

. . . . . . . . . .

**How was that?**

**'Til next we meet, brethren!**

**~Rabbit**


	11. Bookworms Rock

"Maybe when we get in the station, I should get in my wheelchair." I watched Ed bounce in his seat excitedly.

"Huh? Why?" Al asked.

"You know that as soon as we get there, Eddo is gonna take off like a rocket. If I'm just hobbling along back there, you're all gonna leave me behind." I pointed out. We were nearing the station.

"I'll make sure you get in your wheelchair, Lynn Grey." Armstrong nodded in my direction.

I had good instincts, because as soon as I was in my wheelchair, Edward grabbed the handles and took off running.

"Weeeeeee!" I laughed. The wind was streaming past me.

"Brother, you don't have to run so fast!" Alphonse yelled.

"Yes, the library is not going to run away!" Armstrong puffed, running to keep up.

"Here I am, Central!" Edward stretched his arms, letting go of my wheelchair handles. I shrieked and he grabbed them again, making us skid to a halt in front of two military officers. Al and Armstrong were next to us military officers were a pretty woman with cropped black hair and a mole under her eye and a good-looking-ish guy with shaggy dirty-blonde hair. They saluted.

"Major Armstrong, we're here to see you." Said the woman.

"Good work, Second Lieutenant Ross, Sergeant Brosh." Armstrong saluted back.

"Oh!" The man (Brosh? I dunno.) perked up a little. "You must be the Fullmetal Alchemist." He walked right past Ed and straight to Al. I hid a chuckle by coughing. The woman walked over to him, too.

"I'm Maria Ross. Nice to meet you." She saluted.

"I'm Denny Brosh! Your outfit matches your name. How impressive!" He shook Al's hand. I burst into laughter. They both turned to look at me, and I pointed to Ed. Armstrong and Al pointed to Edward as well.

"Huh? The small guy?" Brosh asked. Armstrong grabbed Edward to keep him from murdering Ross and Brosh. I laughed harder, falling out of my wheelchair onto the ground. Al walked over to me as the two officers apologized profusely.

"Are you okay?" He picked me up and put me back in my chair. I wiped away a tear.

"What a dear you are, Alphonse! You are going to be a great knight when you grow up!" I laughed some more.

"Now, I shall go back to Central HQ to report." Armstrong said. I stopped laughing.

"Aww, you're leaving?" I had actually enjoyed his company. But Edward, the bastard, was only too glad to see him go.

"Oh? That was it? This is where we part? Good job. I'm so sad. Byebye!" He was positively radiating happiness. I was going to whack him with my new wrench, but Armstrong had already enveloped him in a crushing hug.

"I AM SAD AS WELL! IT WAS A TRULY FUN JOURNEY!" Tears streamed down his face. "MAY WE MEET EACH OTHER ONCE AGAIN!"

"Do I get a hug?" I pouted, a little jealous.

"OF COURSE!" He picked me up and gave me a crushing hug, too. I laughed. Tears were leaking from his eyes onto the black dress that Havoc bought for me a while back. It was similar to the grey dress in the way that it was styled, but this one had one small side pocket (I kept my pills in there), a belt with a holder for my gun (I carried it everywhere now) and a V-neck. I wore a black, lacy choker with a grey bird on it.

"Take care of the rest!" Armstrong put me down in my wheelchair gently.

"Yes, sir!" The two officers saluted.

"Whaaat? I still have to have escorts?" Edward whined.

"Of course, stupid!" I chided. "Scar hasn't been caught yet, and I won't always be there with my trusty gun to save your ass!" I patted my gun at my side. Brosh stared at my gun like he had just noticed it.

"While we are not as capable as the Major," Ross told Edward, kind of ignoring me, "We have confidence in our abilities, so please be relieved." She smiled. We loaded ourselves into a car. It was quite crowded.

Alphonse and Edward were squeezed into one seat, and Ross, Brosh, and I were in the seat across from them. My wheelchair was folded in between us. There was barely any room to spare.

"I guess we can't do anything about it." Edward sighed.

"Brother, you're supposed to say thank you." Al chided.

"Br-brother? This armored man is your younger brother?!" Ross questioned Edward, startled.

"Yup." He yawned.

"But why are you wearing that suit of armor?" Asked Brosh. Edward, Alphonse, and I stiffened. Ed and Al shared a look.

"It's a hobby." Edward and Al said together.

"A hobby?! How is that a hobby, Second Lieutenant?!" Brosh whispered to Ross. They looked panicked.

"I don't know, who _are _these three kids?!" I was about to criticize her on being so judgemental of Al, but we had arrived.

"The first branch lies to the west of this library." Ross explained about the ginormous library in front of us as we hopped (Ed hopped, Al picked me and my wheelchair up and set me down in it) out of the vehicle. "Many research files, past records, registers, and other things are stored there. However, just a few days ago, all the books burned in a serious fire." She concluded sadly.

Edward stared at the charred remains of a building, looking horrified. He sank to his knees. Al said nothing, obviously in shock.

"Goddamnit!" I smacked a wheel of my wheelchair with my clenched fist.

"What's the matter?" Ross asked urgently, rushing to Edward's side to help him up. I held out a hand before she could get there, blocking her.

"Leave him be." I muttered. "He needs space." The two looked at me, worried. Then, Brosh had an idea.

"We could always check the other library."

"Yes! Yes, there could still be hope!" I yelled to Edward. He perked up.

"Okay! Yes, let's go!" We walked (I wheeled, yadda yadda) over to the other library. As we walked inside, I gaped.

"I could die reading here. I'd love reading all this so much that I'd forget to eat and I'd die. No one would ever find me." I whispered in awe.

"Have you got anything relating to Tim Marcoh or the Philosopher's Stone?!" Edward rushed to the woman at the counter.

"'Do you have anything'" I corrected absently, staring at all the books.

"Research files on the Philosopher's Stone? Just like I thought, it's not in the catalog." The nice lady went on to explain how if it was there it would be in the catalog, blah blah blah, AKA it's not there.

"Thank you for your help." Alphonse said bleakly, looking like he and Ed had just lost their souls.

"Are you boys alright?" The woman asked, alarmed.

"No, we're not alright." Edward muttered.

"Oh, yeah, Sheska might know. Wasn't she at the first branch before?" An older man with glasses and a stack of books in his hands walked by.

"Who's Sheska?" I asked.

"A bookworm. If you check her house, she might be able to tell you something." The woman smiled at us.

With that, we were in the car again, heading to Sheska's house.

Brosh knocked on the door when we got there. Nice, strong Alphonse had carried me up the steps, and was cradling me in the crook of his right arm like a baby. I didn't mind, though.

"Is she not in?" Brosh asked.

"The lights are on, so I bet she's home." I said. We went in. Again, I thought that maybe breaking into someone's house was illegal, ya know? But I guess normal Earth rules don't apply in Amestris.

"Agh! What the hell is with all these books?!" Edward cried out. The place was flooded with books. Stacks and stacks of 'em were everywhere.

"Ms. Sheska! Are you here? Hello!" We called out as we weaved our way through the piles.

"Thank goodness we left my wheelchair in the car." I muttered.

"How can anyone live like this?" Al asked.

"I'd do it. Grams taught me to read, and then I was hooked. I love reading. I could just live here forever..." I daydreamed. Then, I heard someone calling for help within the stacks. "Ah! There's a person buried here! Al, knight in shining armor, rescue the damsel in distress!" I pointed at a collapsed stack.

Al sat me on some other stacks of books that seemed stable, and he and Edward dug out a cute woman with messy brown hair and glasses.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention when a stack of books came piling down! I thought I was going to die! Thank you so much!" She straightened her glasses, sounding embarrassed and frantic.

"You're welcome.." Said Edward, looking exhausted.

Sheska sat us at a table and served us tea. Man, this woman's tea was good. Not as good as Grams' tea, but still pretty good.

"Yes, I'm Sheska. I love books, and I was very happy to be employed at the branch library. But because I loved books too much, I forgot that I was supposed to be working so I was reading books instead, and I got fired." She put her head in her hands. "I have to work because I want to put my sick mother in a better hospital, but I'm clumsy at doing anything but reading books and I can't get a job... Yes, I'm a useless human being... The garbage of society..."

"You are not the garbage of society!" I fumed. She had never even _met _the garbage of society, probably.

"Really?" She looked up, a hopeful expression on her face.

"Anyway, there's something I'd like to ask you." Edward interrupted. "Do you know anything about the files written by Tim Marcoh?"

"Marcoh... Marcoh..." She stared at the ceiling, thoughtful. "Oh, yes, I remember! I remember those pretty well since they were the rare, handwritten files. They were also shoved into a bookshelf out of their genre." She said brightly.

"So they really were at the branch!" Edward said. Then he and Al groaned. "Which means they burned up and we have to start all over again..."

"Excuse me, did you want those research documents?" She asked.

"Yeah, but there's no way-"

"I remember all of what was written, though." She interrupted.

"Huh?!" Edward and Al leaned in. She backed up.

"Stop, you're intimidating her!" I chided. They backed away, looking sheepish.

"I remember every single word in everything I've ever read, without mistakes." She confided. "It would take some time, but would you like me to make you a copy?"

"YES! YES, YOU ARE AMAZING! THANK YOU, MS. BOOKWORM!" Edward and Alphonse shook her hands gleefully.

***time jump***

"I'm sorry, there were so many. It took five days to complete, but here they are!" She smiled, displaying a large stack of papers on her desk.

"She really did it..." Al said in wonder.

"There really are some incredible people in the world, huh, Al?" Edward gaped.

"Wow, it makes sense now. If there was so much, there's no way Marcoh could've run off with all of them..." I stared from the crook in Al's arm where I had taken up residence for the day. "This is really his, Miss Sheska?"

"Yep! Without a doubt! Tim Marcoh's culinary research documents. '1000 Flavors For Today's Menu'!"

"What?" I gaped.

Maria Ross looked at the documents, confirming it. "Hey, just how important are these documents?!"

"I only copied them as I had read and remembered!" Sheska put her hands in front of herself defensively.

"So these are completely different files written by someone with the same name? Was this all a waste of time?" Brosh groaned.

"Sheska, is this truly Marcoh's work?" Ed asked.

"Absolutely, word for word."

"You're incredible, thanks. Alright, Al, get Lynn outside and stick her in her wheelchair. She can hold some files. Brosh, you help Al and I carry these. And, for helping us," Ed reached in his pocket for a notebook and scribbled something down. He handed it to Maria Ross. "Second Lieutensnt Ross! Here's my registration code, my signature, and my watch as proof of my identity. Go to the state alchemist division at the Fuhrer's office, withdraw from my annual research funds the sum of money that I wrote, and give it to Sheska." We began on our way out the door.

"Yes, sir." The second lieutenant saluted, then turned to look at the notebook. We made it outside, and then I heard their shouts of bewilderment.

Some time later, Ed and Al were sitting around a table, loads of research documents piled around them. I was still in my wheelchair, not bothering to put on my leg braces because I knew I'd be sitting and reading for a while.

"Alchemists live for the people, right? They live by a code by which they give the fruits of their abilities and research, unfiltered, to the public to be used to help or harm as the people so choose." Edward began explaining, mostly for Brosh's benefit. "On the other hand, we state alchemists have got to prevent normal people from figuring out some knowledge."

"It would be a problem if alchemy was so easily understandable that anyone could use it for the wrong purpose, right?" Brosh guessed.

"Right. And how do they do that?" Ed asked, waving a file in the air.

"By coding it!" I grinned.

"Good! To ordinary people these look like just some culinary research documents. But they really are highly advanced files on alchemy using metaphors and secret meanings and such that only the writer would understand!" He grinned happily.

"Something that only the writer would understand, huh?" Brosh said, leaning over Edward's shoulder. "How are you going to decode it?"

"By using a little knowledge and a lot of patience." Edward replied.

"Ugh, seems daunting." Said Brosh.

"Patience is a virtue, my friend!" I said in a sing-songy voice.

"I think that the culinary research documents are still easy to decode." Said Al helpfully. "Some people say that alchemy was born in the kitchen, after all. Brother's research is written in travel logs, so even if I read them I wouldn't understand them. Incidentally, Colonel Mustang's notes are all written in the code names of women."

"That womanizer!" I cackled with glee.

"All right," said Ed, "lets crack this code!"

***time jump to a week later***

"Goddamnit, this code is too hard!" I flung my hands in the air. I had been working with the boys for the past week, trying to figure out this godforsaken code of Tim Marcoh's. "And no, Al," I cut him off, knowing what he was going to say. "We are NOT asking Marcoh for help."

"Excuse me, you three?" We looked up to see Sheska standing there, looking happy. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to thank you. My mother is now in a great hospital, thanks to your great amount of money you gave me!"

"It's fine, it was worth your hard work." Ed lay his head on the table, waving his hand dismissively.

"It's not really a recipe book." I told her, looking up from my own stack of papers. "It's coded alchemical research files."

"Oh? Than have you decoded it?" Sheska asked. Edward, Alphonse, and I emitted an aura of despair.

"Have you gotten a job yet?" Alphonse asked. She joined us in our aura of despair.

"Anyway, it's time for me to go, thank you so much." She bowed.

"It's nothing." Ed waved his hand again.

"I'm just glad that there was a way for a useless bookworm like me to be helpful." She smiled.

"You're not useless!" Alphonse said, grabbing her hand. "I believe that trying hard at something is a talent in itself!"

"Yeah, and how many people do you know are people who remember every single thing they've ever read, word for word? That's unique. You should be proud." I grinned.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"Yo! Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes walked in. Ross and Brosh saluted.

"Hughes! Good to see you!" I grinned, waving.

"I told you guys to holler if you came back to Central." He rubbed my hair affectionately.

"Sorry, we've been busy." Said Edward.

"No sweat, I've been busy, too!" Edward and Hughes laughed. I noticed that Ross and Brosh had went outside the room to whisper about us again. Man, when would they grow up? I started wheeling over to scold them.

"There's been a lot of crime lately. The crime division has been bustling." Hughes groaned. "Not to mention the Tucker case is unresolved.."

I froze, covering my mouth with my hand to keep from gagging. Images rose to my mind that I forced away.

"Sorry about that. Must've brought some bad memories to mind." Hughes apologized.

"Did you come here just to visit when you're so busy?" Al sounded concerned.

"Nah, I needed a break. Don't worry, I'll go back soon." He sighed. "Man, things would go so much easier if we had the files from the first branch."

"Huh." Ed and Al turned and looked at Sheska. She just stood there like an idiot, so I intervened.

"Guess what? Miss Sheska here read almost all the stuff in the first branch and has a photographic memory. She was the one who copied all this for us. Plus, she's currently in need of a job.." I grinned, waving a hand in front of me at the piles and piles of documents.

"Eh?! This lady has a special ability?! That'll help!"

"Let's start right away! Don't worry, we pay very well!" Hughes started dragging her away.

"Ah...um...okay.." She looked back at us one last time before she was out the door. "Thank you so much! I'll work hard, I promise!" She grinned. Ed and I grinned back. The door slammed shut.

"What is he, a kidnapper?" I chuckled.

"Trying hard at something is a talent in itself, eh?" Edward wiggled a pencil in the air. "Nice going, little brother."

"I learned that by watching someone. I believe it from the bottom of my heart." He replied.

"Oh yeah?" Ed grinned. "That someone is going to get back to work now."

. . . . . . . . . .

**Alright.**

**Now I've got to decide whether to have Ed or Lynn discover IT.**

**I _think _I've made up my mind.**

**You'll just have to see what happens next chapter!**


	12. Keep Calm And Carry On

******I hope you guys know that I miss sleeping. I used to sleep soooo much more before I found fanfiction...**

******I can't fall asleep from the ideas buzzing in my head.**

******And there will be cursing, as usual. F-bomb shall be dropped. Dang it, Edward, clean yo mouth!**

******Though I can't really say anything, Lynn's got a tongue on her, too...**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Oh my god." Lynn stumbled back from the table. She had worn her leg braces today, claiming she need to stretch her legs. She was wearing those baggy pants she called "blue jeans" with the military uniform from waist up. "Oh my god."

"What?" I asked, annoyed. It had been ten days with no results, and I was ticked.

"I'm going to be sick."

"Well, don't throw up all over the files!" I yelled, running over and pushing the important papers away. She backed up, then sort of ran-hobbled to a window. She opened it, leaned out, and retched.

"Lynn, are you okay?" Alphonse got up and walked over to her, putting a hand on her back gently.

"What was it that made you sick, anyway?" My tone of voice suggested that I was irritated. My tone of voice was correct.

"Don't look!" She choked out, then continued retching.

I ignored her and glanced curiously at the files she was looking at. One paper caught my eye. My eyes widened. "NO FUCKING WAY!"

"What happened?" Brosh and Ross burst into the room. I sat on the ground, my head in my hands.

"Have you three been fighting?" Brosh reached out to us sounding concerned.

"It's not that." I muttered.

"Are you upset that you haven't broken the code? And is Lynn alright?" Ross started making her way over to Lynn.

"We broke the code." Lynn rasped, stepping back from the window and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Shouldn't that be a good thing?" Brosh asked. He and Ross looked confused.

"What the hell is good about this shit?! Damnit, Lynn, I'm sorry you had to read that." I swore. "The devil's research is what he called it..."

"Marcoh, you're horrible, you fucker." Lynn clenched her fist.

"What did you find out?" Brosh asked, kneeling beside me.

"The raw materials needed for the Philosopher's stone..." I gritted my teeth.

"Are living humans." Lynn said bleakly.

"Joy to suffering, victory to battle, life to the dead.." Alphonse murmured. "That is what the blood-red stone grants. Men honor it with the name, 'The Philosopher's Stone'."

"I would've been happier if I hadn't learned about this." Lynn muttered, looking even paler than usual.

"If these documents speak the truth, then to make a Philosopher's Stone, you need human sacrifices, and many of them, to make just one stone!" I covered my mouth with my hand, feeling sick. I regretted having yelled at Lynn earlier.

"The fact that these were made under military jurisdiction is unforgivable!" Brosh stated, sounding outraged.

"It's inhumane!" Ross was livid.

"Second Lieutenant Ross, Sergeant Brosh," I paused. "Act like you never heard this."

"But-" Brosh started to protest.

"Please." I stared at the ground.

"Fine." He said after a pause. "Come on. Lets get you three back to your apartments."

"'Kay." Lynn muttered. She grabbed Al's hand, then walked over to me, holding out her hand. "Ed?"

I looked up at her. She had dark circles under her eyes from staying up after I went to bed. She usually worked on the files or kept Alphonse company. Even though she was exhausted, and haunted-looking from our newest discovery, she still was ready to keep going, and hadn't given up hope. On me, on Al, on getting mine and Al's bodies back. That's why she was holding out her hand, I'm sure.

I took it. She pulled me to my feet.

We drove to the hotel. Lynn did not say anything more to us when we got there, she just headed straight to the shower. I collapsed on the couch. Alphonse sat down on the floor next to me.

"Lynn's trying to protect us." He murmured.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"She told us not to go see Nina because she knew the sight would be too gruesome for us to handle, or something. She told you not to look at the files because they contained an awful secret. She shot at Scar to save us."

"That's all true, yeah." I pondered it for a moment.

"She talks about me being her knight in shining armor sometimes, like I'll protect her, but how can I protect her when she's protecting us?" Alphonse asked.

"It's equivalent exchange." I said automatically.

"Do you think maybe she doesn't tell us about her past because she's trying to protect us again?"

"Maybe." I closed my eyes, thinking.

"What're you guys planning now?" She came in the room. She was barefoot, wearing a new long sleeved mens shirt and her baggy jeans again. She was toweling her grey hair dry.

"I don't know." I paused. "Sometimes... Sometimes I feel like just giving it all up." I confessed.

"Brother! We must _never _give up!" Al sounded horrified and scared, like he couldn't even imagine the possibility.

"Well, like the Brits used to say, 'Keep calm and carry on'." She patted my head lightly. "Now, to brighten things up, I'm going to tell you a story."

"A story?" Al seemed excited. I just thought over her quote.

Keep calm and carry on. Keep calm and carry on. I tried the words out in my head. I rather liked them.

"Yes, this story is called..." She paused, brow furrowed in thought. "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Caroll." She paused again. "Combined with Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll and some Alice In Wonderland movies, and modification by Lynn Grey." She concluded.

"That's a long title." Said Al. I rolled my eyes.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Alice. She was reading this really boring book, and then she saw a talking rabbit with a tailcoat, so she followed it. It was saying things about how late it was, and-"

"Rabbits don't wear clothes, and they can't talk." I frowned.

"Shut up, Ed, nobody asked you. Anyway, she chased the rabbit until she was so tired that she fell over. She accidentally fell into a hole, though, and it was a veeery deep hole. The fall lasted a long time. She began to look at the shelves that lined the walls of the hole, and she picked up a jar labeled 'Orange Marmalade'. Unfortunately, the jar was empty, so she put it back."

"What the hell is marmalade doing in a hole?!"

"How should I know?" She glared. "Anyway, eventually she reached the bottom, and found herself in a room with a small table and a key. She also saw a tiny door that just so happened to be the right size for the key, but she herself was too big. She imagined that shutting up like a telescope and becoming smaller would work, so she looked around for an instructional booklet on how to shut up like a telescope. Instead, she saw a little bottle with liquid in it that said, 'DRINK ME' in all caps on the label. She downed it in one gulp."

"So lemme get this straight- she finds a random bottle of liquid and just drinks it? Just like that?"

"Yes, and for glob's sake, stop interrupting!" She huffed at him angrily. "She shrunk and shrunk and shrunk, and soon she feared that she'd get so small, she'd go out like a candle flame. She stopped shrinking, though, at just the right size for the door. There was a problem, however."

"What, what?" Alphonse leaned in.

"She forgot to get the key, and then she couldn't climb up the table to get it. She tried and tried, but eventually she just sat down and started to cry."

"Wimp." I muttered. Either she didn't hear me, or she ignored me.

"Eventually, she was like, 'fuck this shit, I'll just break down the door'. She stepped on a piece of cake on her way over to the door. It took her a while, but she eventually busted the door open."

"Random cake? What the heck?"

"Stop disturbing me!" She rubbed my head playfully. "So she walked into the most beautiful garden. It had trees and flowers and butterflies and all that good stuff. Some of the flowers could talk, and they started being mean to little Alice, so she ignored them and kept walking. She met two boys named Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum; identical twins. They were lonely, so she played a few games with them. Suddenly, a giant bird swooped down and grabbed them in its claws!"

I jolted at her sudden quickening of wordspeed. Something exciting was happening.

"Alice ran after it, but she lost sight of it quickly. She walked through a pretty forest until she came upon the most curious thing; a big grin with no body attached to it. Eyes suddenly opened, and a head started to become visible. 'How can I help you?' It asked, showing rows of pointed teeth. 'I'm lost,' said poor little Alice."

I fell asleep around the time where the white queen was talking about some shit called Frabjuous Day. Lynn's voice was hypnotic.. She could make you excited, put you to sleep, calm you down, make you haply, or make you sad. Her storytelling, although it was obvious her telling of the story was different from the original, whatever that was, was enthralling.

I dreamt that a cat with only a head grinned at me, saying "Keep calm and carry on" in Lynn's voice, and "Never give up!" in Al's voice. Then, the white queen began talking about how everyone was mad, and Nina and Alexander were taking tea with the mad hatter.

. . . . . . . . . .

"How does it end, Lynn?" Alphonse leaned closer. Edward fell asleep a while back. Alice had slain the jabberwocky, and a battle was going on.

"The white queen and Alice win the battle. The red queen is beheaded, just like how everyone she was unhappy with died."

"Did Alice stay in Wonderland, or did she go home?"

I thought about that.

"She stayed."

I remained awake with Al the whole night, as I usually did. The next day, Edward refused to eat. I didn't want to eat, either, but I was _not_ going to let him starve.

"Al, sometimes I feel like god really hates us. It's right in our grasp," Ed reached his hand up towards the ceiling. "Then it's gone." He paused, letting his hand fall back down. "Hey, Al, there's something I've been meaning to say to you, but I'm afraid to say it.."

"What?"

Ed paused, obviously regretting saying anything. I took this as my queue to come in.

"Edward Elric!" I opened the door and pointed an imperious finger at him. "You are going to starve to death!"

"I've missed one meal! I'm not going to starve!" He yelled angrily.

"Yes, you are! Now, you are going to eat something, even if I have to drag your sorry ass to a food source myself!" I declared.

"Don't call my ass sorry!" He yelled back.

"ELRIC BROTHERS! LYNN GREY! I HEAR YOU IN THERE!" We heard Armstrong bellow as he stomped up the stairs.

"What do we do?" Alphonse whispered.

"Don't answer. Maybe he'll go away." Edward whispered back, panicking.

"Screw that, ya meanie." I walked over to the door, unlocked it, and opened. "Hiya, Major."

"I HAVE COME!" He yelled enthusiastically. Edward looked like he was going to cry, but not in a tragic way, in a omfg-I'm-going-to-get-crushed-by-Armstrong kinda way. "What a tragedy!" Armstrong started weeping and sparkling at the same time. I swear, he's a Twipire or whatever the heck they call them nowadays. "To think that the Philosopher's Stone holds such a terrible secret! And the military has allowed this research to continue! This will not be tolerated by one such as I!" He clenched his fists. Edward glared at Ross and Brosh, whom had followed Armstrong into the room.

"Sorry, but you know Armstrong, he's scary. I'll tell him anything." Muttered Brosh. Then he noticed that Ed's jacket wasn't on. "Your right arm is automail?" I shot Ed a look, warning him that if he told these people about his mum and all that, there would be violence. From my wrench. I mean, it's supposed to be a secret, for Pete's sake!

"Oh, er, during the East Area Civil War, there was a little..." Ed trailed off pointing at his arm awkwardly.

"We want the Philosopher's Stone to restore his body." Said Alphonse.

"Oh, I see," said Brosh, totally buying it. "It's too bad about all this." He said sadly.

"The truth can be cruel." Tears still streamed down Armstrong's face. I froze, recalling Marcoh's words.

"The truth!" I exclaimed, feeling like I had been hit by inspirational lightning. "Remember what Marcoh said at the train station? The truth behind the truth? There's still more, you guys! There's something else!" I yelled triumphantly.

"Lynn, you're a genius! See, she's not worthless after all!" He grinned. I didn't know whether to be happy that I was useful or pissed off because Ed must have been thinking I was useless this entire time.

About five minutes later we all stood around a table covered in charts and maps. Ross was talking about the four alchemical research facilities run by the military.

"What's this one?" Edward pointed at one spot on the map.

Ross explained how it's an abandoned facility and no one's allowed in, yadda yadda yadda. I peered down at the map.

"That's the one." I said.

"Why?" Asked Brosh.

"There's a prison next to it." I pointed out.

"And?" Brosh watched me strangely.

"Oh, that's sick." Edward put his hand to his forehead like he had a headache.

"I don't understand." Muttered Brosh to Ross. Everyone except Ed turned and looked at me.

"I sure as hell am not explaining it. Edward, you owe me one, you explain."

"What do I owe you for?!" He yelled.

"Gee, Brother, just get on with it!" Al said exasperated.

"Fine. Okay, so a Philosopher's Stone needs human sacrifices, right? So they have a prison to supply them with fresh resources. Now that I think about it, the bodies from prisoners on death row are not returned to their families. They could just be saying that they've been executed, when really they're going to be used to make Philosopher's Stones." Edward concluded.

"That's..." Brosh looked sickened.

"I feel nauseous just explaining it." Ed muttered.

"Considering that this is a prison, do you think the government could be involved?" Asked Brosh.

"We don't know if the ones involved are warden level or government level." Ed stated.

"Somehow I feel like we poked are necks too far into something too big." Maria Ross groaned.

"That's why we told you to act like you didn't hear anything." Al almost sighed.

"However, this is all pretty much just speculation." I warned.

"Yes, this may or may not have any state involvement." Armstrong leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Who's in charge of the research facility?" Asked Al.

"Brigadier General Basque Gran."

"So," Ed began, "we'll talk to this Gran guy and-"

"You can't. He was murdered by Scar the other day." Armstrong looked angry. That was freakier than his manly man show. "Many of the state alchemists associated with the higher sections of the military have been murdered by Scar. Among the recent dead, there may have been some that knew the truth. If it turns out that higher military officers are involved along with the late Brigadier General, then this could be a problem." He rolled up the maps. "I'll investigate and tell you about the results. Brosh, Ross, keep quiet about this."

"Yes sir!" They saluted.

"Elric Brothers, Lynn Grey, you three stay put!"

"Yes sir!" I saluted.

"Whaaaaat?!" Edward looked incredulous. I'm certain Alphonse would've looked incredulous, too, if he had a body.

"You two were thinking of sneaking over there, were you not?!" Armstrong towered over the boys menacingly. They stuttered, at a loss for words.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT TO GET YOUR BODIES BACK, BUT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE DOING SUCH DANGEROUS THINGS!" He roared. The boys shrieked while I stifled a chuckle.

"I get it, I get it!" Ed backed up. "We won't do anything like that."

"We'll just wait for what the Major has to report." Alphonse said soothingly.

. . . . . . . . . .

"We've been had!" I stood in the boy's room looking angrily at the rope tied to their bed dangling out the open window.

"We're in soooo much trouble..." Brosh groaned.

"I wish that they'd think about things from our point of view." I muttered.

"If they have Lynn Grey with them, they couldn't have gotten very far yet." Brosh mused.

"Lets go see if she's still here." I stomped out of the room, Brosh behind me. I didn't knock on Lynn's door, figuring she'd be long gone. I opened it just a little to find a gun in my face. I jumped back. Those white-grey eyes glared at me, then widened in surprise.

"Oh, sorry." The gun was pulled away, but she didn't open the door any further. She just stared out the crack.

"What the hell?!" Brosh glared.

"I heard angry yelling. Sorry about almost shooting you in the face, Second Lieutenant."

"Are the Elrics in there?" I grew suspicious that she wouldn't open her door.

"Are they not in their rooms?"

"No, we think they've left for the fifth laboratory." Brosh sighed.

"What?! Those idiots, it could be dangerous! Damnit, they never do what they're told!" Lynn fumed. "Gimme a minute to put clothes on." She shut the door. I heard her hobbling around in there.

A few minutes later, Lynn came out dressed in an army uniform. She had a gun at her hip.

"You're a soldier?" Ross asked, surprised. If so, Lynn Grey had not been giving them the proper respect this entire time!

"Nah, I'm no soldier. I just stole this." She said casually. I blanched, feeling angry.

"You should not be stealing from the military that uses its uniforms and money to protect your country!" I scolded.

"Well, gee, sorry, if I had money for clothes if buy some of my own, but I don't so I got things the other way!" She said scathingly. "And who said this was my country?"

"It's not?" I asked. That would explain all the strange behavior. She could be a spy from Drachma, a person from Xing, a...

Well, she didn't have a Drachman accent and she doesn't look Xingese! "Where are you from, Lynn Grey?" I eyed her suspiciously.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Edward and Alphonse could be dying for all we know! Hurry up!" She hobbled faster than I thought she could down the hallway. Brosh and I dropped back a little.

"I don't think we should be bringing her along, Second Lieutenant." Brosh whispered.

"I don't think we should, either." I frowned at the girl, who was tying her silken grey hair into a high ponytail.

"Maybe you'll get lucky and somebody will kill me at the laboratory so you won't have to drag me along anymore." Lynn said lightly. I nodded.

Wait- did Lynn just say that?!

She heard our entire conversation?!

"You guys are terrible whisperers." She chuckled lightly. "I heard you guys whispering about how Al and Ed were bizarre. And I won't forgive you for that." She stopped, turning to stare me right in the eyes. The light grey was disconcerting. Her expression was deadly. "I will never forgive you for that."

The rest of the walk continued in silence.

. . . . . . . . . .

**In case it was unclear, that last bit was in Maria Ross's point of view.**

**I wish I had nooo hooomewooork...**

**Until next time!**

**~Rabbit**

**P. S. Hetalia is amazing**


	13. The One That Doesn't Belong

**I'm just trying to get these out as quickly as possible with as great of a plotline as I can. Yup.**

**I'm also working on the first chapter of my new book. Over the summer I might need some beta readers, but it's way too early to know now, so I'm just going to focus on Lynn.**

**OMG VIC MIGNOGNA I LOVE YOU**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Lynn, don't follow us!"

"I'm coming! What if they get hurt? What if they die?! I'm not just going to sit here and wait!"

I sighed. Lynn was really protective of those boys. I had heard she was involved in the Tucker and Scar cases, so the trio must be close. "Look, we promise we'll bring them back safely. Just get some sleep. It's dark out."

"Damnit, why can't I come?!"

"Because your legs are useless!" I blurted angrily without thinking. I saw her blanch, and I felt incredibly guilty. "Wait, I didn't mean-"

"Yes you did." She snarled. "Don't even deny it. Everyone thinks that. It doesn't matter, though, because I have a gun. I can fight. And if it ends up in a situation where you have to protect either me or them, choose them, because they have someone waiting for them at home." She said scathingly at first but serious at the last sentence.

"We can't do that. Stay here." I sighed again. There was no winning with this stubborn girl.

"No." She refused. I was about to say something else when Brosh gave her a swift chop to the back of the neck, and she fell unconscious. I caught her before she fell to the ground. She was surprisingly light, which probably wasn't good for her health.

"Sergeant!" I chided.

"Sorry, Second Lieutenant. I'll apologize to her when we return." He scratched his head sadly. Then he looked afraid. "She's going to be soooo mad when she wakes up..."

"Fine, lets just get her in bed. Maybe she'll just think she dreamed the whole thing." I tried to pick her up, but the bottom half of her was heavy, so Brosh grabbed her legs.

"I doubt it. Woah, I think she's got iron rods in her pants or something to help her stand! And her legs-" He paled. "The bones- This doesn't feel right, Second Lieutenant."

"Get over it. We have a set of brothers to rescue." I said curtly, but inside I was a little concerned. The poor girl's legs- What was wrong with the bones?

We placed her in her bed, tucked her in, and rushed towards the fifth laboratory. We managed to get in and go around to the back, where we saw Alphonse fighting another armored figure, and a soldier with his head cut in half lying on the ground. The second armored person was preparing to kill Alphonse, so we shot him in the hand, knocking his axe away.

"Next time we'll aim for your head!" Both Brosh and I kept our guns at the ready. "Now hand over the person in the large suit of armor."

"Who're these people?" The second armor asked Al.

"This boy is our charge." I said.

"Ah, shit, you guys had to bust in just when it was getting fun!" He shrugged, then noticed the soldier on the ground. "Huh? What was that guard doin, letting you in- Oh, yeah, I sliced him. Oopsy." He sighed. "This has become a pain in the ass."

Suddenly, there was an ominous rumble from the laboratory. "What was that?" Asked Brosh nervously. The building began to break apart.

"HAAAH?!" The armored guy yelled in surprise.

"An explosion! Sergeant, we have to evacuate!" I noticed Alphonse start going towards the building. I grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?!"

"Brother is still inside! Let me go!" He yelled, struggling to free himself from my grasp. My heart briefly stopped in fear for Edward Elric. There was no time for that, though, I had to keep Al alive. I remembered my promise to Lynn, and I felt guilty. Would only one brother make it safely home?

"Think about this rationally! You'll be buried alive!"

"Hmmm..." The armor man scratched his head (could he even feel that?!). "If this is happening, then that must've happened... Time to make a quick getaway!"

"Not so fast!" Brosh spun around, pointing his gun at the armored man.

"If you don't hurry, you'll be caught up in all this!" He giggled.

"Damn." He turned back to us.

"Brother.. I have to get Brother!" Alphonse kept struggling towards the building. I hated to admit it, but he was way stronger than me, this gigantic fourteen year old.

"Howdy, y'all." A person came out of the dust and grime, carrying Edward over his shoulder. This boy (or girl?) had long green hair, a strange tattoo, a black skirt-like thing and shorts, a shirt-like chest covering, and a headband. "I've come to drop off some baggage."

"Brother!" Alphonse perked up.

He isn't in any danger of dying at the moment, but he's lost a lot of blood, so you'd better take him to a hospital right away." He/she/it dumped Edward on the ground unceremoniously. "You guys have to keep a better eye on this bugger. He's precious material, you know."

"Lynn isn't going to like this," I groaned. The spiky haired person perked up.

"Lynn? Oh, yeah, that one..." He looked thoughtful.

"Second Lieutenant Ross, what are you doing?! Hurry up!" Brosh ran over.

"Give me a hand!" I called back.

"How did he get hurt so badly?!"

"Save that for later! You," I turned to where the person had been. "Get away, too- Ah? He's gone.."

"What are you two doing?!" Brosh had Edward on his back.

"Oh, right!" Alphonse, Brosh, and I ran as the building collapsed.

. . . . . . . . . .

"EDWARD ELRIC, WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!"

I awoke to the sound of Lynn's speedy approach, and she almost punched open the door.

"Ah, Mr. Edward, you're awake!" Brosh followed her in, much much much friendlier looking. The look on Lynn's pale face was murderous.

"EDWARD! YOU! YOU ARE THE MOST INSANE BOY I HAVE EVER KNOWN! I'M GOING TO BURY YOU ALIVE, DIG YOU OUT, AND THEN THROTTLE YOU!" Lynn grabbed the front of my shirt.

"Hey, where am I, anyway?" I ignored her as Brosh pulled her off of me. I was used to her antics. But damn, her grip on my shirt was strong. When Brosh finally got her off, she had ripped a chunk of my shirt off and was still holding it in her clenched fist.

"This is a hospital owned by an acquaintance of mine." Ross came in. "We thought it would be best if you rested and healed up here, where the military wouldn't question you about your little escapade.

"Crap, it hurts." I clutched my side. "I was so close to finding the truth. This is no time for me to be hospitalized." I sighed. Ross and Brosh (who had Lynn pinned in a headlock with his left arm, and she was quieting down, though she still looked like she was going to kill me) exchanged a look.

"Sir!" They both saluted. "Please excuse us for what we are about to do!"

"Huh?"

Second Lieutenant Maria Ross promptly slapped me across the face.

"Major Armstrong told you plenty of times not to act on your own, yet you did it anyway!" She yelled. She was like Lynn had been a few minutes prior. "Even when he told you to wait patiently because it was dangerous! And on top of ignoring the Major's kindness, you almost got yourself killed!" Her voice quieted. "First, recognize the fact that you're still children." Brosh nodded enthusiastically. "Next, don't try to do everything by yourselves. Please trust the people around you, and can't you put a little more faith in us adults?" She concluded, a sad expression on her face. I was silent.

"That is all!" They both snapped to attention. "Please forgive us for our violent actions and words unfitting of those of lower rank!" They both had a shine of sweat on their foreheads, as if extremely nervous.

"No, I was the one at fault." I said, startled by their actions.

"And the punishment for the slap?" Asked Ross. She kept her tone level, but I could see she was nervous for some reason.

"No, I won't do anything."

Both officers suddenly relaxed and clutched their chests, like they were recovering from running miles from a pack of scary wolves. Ross braced herself against the wall to keep from falling over.

Of course, that meant that Brosh had released Lynn. She promptly pulled out a wrench (SHE HAD A WRENCH?! OH SHIT) and bashed it over my head once. I flinched after sitting back up, expecting some more verbal punishment.

"Don't scare me like that ever again!" She fumed, then softened. "Thank goodness you two are alive. If you had died because I wasn't there because those two knocked me unconscious..."

"What?"

"Just be safe. Be safe." She hugged me quickly.

"Why are you two so nervous, anyway?" I asked Ross and Brosh, changing the topic from Lynn's hug and trying to stop a blush from creeping across my face.

"State Alchemists aren't regular soldiers, but they have the status equivalent to a Major. Just one word from you and we'd be fired." Ross explained.

"You don't have to be so nervous. I didn't join the military for the status. And you don't have to talk so formally to a kid."

"Hey, where's Al? I haven't seen him yet." Lynn shot the military officers a glare. "As soon as I woke up, all you told me was that Ed was injured and at the hospital."

"I gave him a stern lecture and hit him." Said Brosh. "And gee, have you been getting enough sleep? You were unconscious a lot longer than you should've been."

Lynn flushed. "I'm fine." She changed topics. "How's your hand? Al's armor is pretty hard."

"It hurts." He looked like he was gonna cry as he held up his swelling hand.

"There's still one more event that's going to leave me dealing with a lot of screaming..." I covered my face with my hands. "Lynn, get me a phone."

She stared uncomprehendingly, then a wicked grin spread across her face. "Edward's in troooouble!" She walked out.

A few minutes later, I was sitting in the hallway, talking to Winry. She seemed to be taking this better than I thought.

"Did you carry something heavy or swing your arm around more than you needed to?" She asked.

"I got in a fight." I said bluntly.

"AGAIN?! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU THAT IT WOULD BREAK IF YOU USED IT LIKE A MANIAC!"

I held the phone at arm's length so I didn't go deaf. Suddenly, her yelling stopped.

"H-hello?" I hesitantly brought the phone back to my ear, scared out of my wits (for myself). "Winry? Ma'am?"

"It can't be helped. Where in Central are you?" Her voice came back, surprisingly calm.

"HAH?!"

"I'm saying I'll come and give you some maintenance. Where should I go?" She sounded annoyed now.

"You're being awfully nice today." I said suspiciously.

"I'm always nice!" She yelled.

I finished up the phone call quickly.

"Calling your girlfriend?" Brosh startled me. He was sipping tea.

"WHAT GIRLFRIEND?!" I spazzed out, reopening my stomach wound.

I ended up having Brosh push me down the hall in a wheelchair, like Havoc pushed Lynn.

"She's just my automail mechanic!" I insisted.

"Aww, really? That's no fun!" He paused. "Is Lynn your girlfriend?"

I almost reopened my wound, I stiffened that fast. "NO!"

"Don't have a girlfriend?"

"I don't want one!" I persisted. I wanted this conversation to end.

"When I was your age.." Brosh began.

"Al!" I called, peering down a hallway. Al was sitting by himself in the dark. He seemed not to have heard me. "Hey, Al!"

"B-Brother!" He turned and saw me sitting there.

"Don't stay over there by yourself. Why don't you come over to my room?"

He just watched me.

"No, I'll be going now." He stood.

"Alright then, I'll go on ahead." I was confused. What was wrong with Alphonse?

. . . . . . . . . .

Armstrong and I stood, waiting for Winry to show at the train station. I was excited to see her again, but a little nervous, too.

"Major Armstrong!" Winry ran over. "Lynn, what's up?!"

"Yo, mah homie!" I grinned, pulling her into a hug. We were almost the same height. I was a little bit taller than Edward and a little bit shorter than Winry.

"Thank you for the wonderful time in Resembool." Armstrong bowed slightly.

"Not at all. Thanks for trying to take care of those knuckleheads. Winry rubbed my head affectionately, and even though she was the same age as me, a felt a pang, remembering how Grams would do that and I'd complain that she'd mess up my hair, even though I secretly liked it.

"I'm glad you two came to get me, but damn, Edward called me so why couldn't he meet me here?" Asked Winry.

"He's immobile at the moment. He's been admitted-" Armstrong began.

"Admitted?!" She looked startled. At our lack of verbal assistance, she drew her own conclusion.

"Oh, I see, he's been put in a juvenile detention center for committing so many crimes." She seemed absolutely convinced.

"No, not that sort of place." I said.

"Huh? You mean a hospital?!" She looked afraid and heartbroken.

When we got there, we found Edward in a much worse state than when I had last seen him. "EDWARD ELRIC! DID YOU GO TRAIPSING OFF ON SOME ADVENTURE EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE INJURED AND GET YOURSELF IN MORTAL DANGER?!" I yelled.

"No, no, Armstrong tackled me with a hug."

"Oh." That explained it. Winry looked at Armstrong like "wtf" as his shirt mysteriously disappeared and he flexed his huge muscles, sparkling.

Then Edward and Winry started arguing about milk, and Al slipped out. I followed him.

"Alphonse?" I asked hesitantly.

"Lynn?" He asked. His voice contained no emotion, like he was hiding it.

"Is something the matter?"

"...No."

I knew something was, but if he didn't want to tell me, then fine.

"Let's go play a game. I'll teach you to play chess." I dragged him along until we found an officer who brought us a chess board, and I taught him how to play. I won the first time, and he won the second time. We kept going like that, back and forth and back and forth.

"Thanks for trying to help, Lynn." He said quietly, as I went to bed.

"You're welcome. Feel better soon." I gave him a gentle smile.

. . . . . . . . . .

I walked back from Hughes's house, feeling happy. I saw Lynn in the hall of the hospital, and I smiled at her. She hobbled over to walk with me, and we talked about how cute Elicia was. She was adorable, for sure.

I opened the door to Edward's room, and a shocking sight met Lynn's and my eyes.

Al had stood up, knocking his chair over. "I DIDN'T WANT TO GET THIS BODY!" He exclaimed furiously. Lynn and I froze. A horrified expression took over my face, and Lynn looked incredibly upset. Edward froze over his tray of food, blanching.

"Ah..I'm sorry." Edward said awkwardly, covering up his pale demeanor. "Yeah, it's my fault that everything got screwed up. That's why I want to restore your body as soon as possible."

"And what proof is there that you're really going to restore my body?" Al asked quietly. Hughes, Ross, and Brosh entered, and looked as shocked as Lynn and I did. Brosh and Ross started looking confused.

"I will, trust me, I promise!" Edward said desperately, faking a smile.

"Trust, huh?! You're telling me to trust what with this hollow body?!" Al stared at his hands, sounding upset. "In alchemy, they say a human being is made from the flesh, the mind, and the soul! But was there a person who ever proved that in an experiment?! If you think about it logically, all 'memory' is just 'information'. So it would be easy to artificially create some."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked.

"Brother, you said there was something that you wanted to tell me, but were afraid to, right?" He asked. I hadn't known that, but apparently Lynn did. She blanched. "Could it have been that my soul and memories are totally fake?! Brother, how do you prove that this person named Alphonse Elric truly existed?! Isn't it possible that everyone, Granny, Winry, everyone, were just tricking me?! Well, is it, Brother?!"

Edward slammed his clenched fists down on the tray. "Is that everything you were holding in, Al? Is that everything you wanted to say?" He paused. "I see." An expression I had never seen before was on his face. He stood up and started walking away.

"Ed!" I called. It was hopeless. He was gone. I reached for my wrench.

"Al."

"Yes?" He turned. I slammed my wrench into his head as hard as I could.

"IDIOT!"

"What was that for?!" He asked. Everyone was staring. Tears started streaming down my face. I bit my lip.

"Winry.." He held up his hands. I smashed the wrench on his head again.

"Al, you idiot! You don't know how Ed feels! That thing he was afraid to tell you was that he feared that you blamed him for what happened!" I yelled, the memory coming unbidden to my mind. Edward, lying on a cot in our house, an IV plugged in him. He told Granny and I that it was all his fault and that Al blamed him. We told him Al didn't. He was too scared to ask Al, so he just resolved to restore Al's body as soon as possible. "He cried that out to us every night while moaning from the pain of automail surgery." I sobbed. I had knocked Al down, and he and I were sitting on the ground. I kept hitting him, a rhythmic beat flowing from my fury and sorrow. _Clang, clang, clang... _"But you still.. you still... What idiot in the world would risk his own life to make himself a fake little brother?!" I screamed. "Isn't he your only brother?" I stopped hitting him, wiping away my tears. "Chase after him!" I yelled, pointing at the door. He obediently got up and started running. "Hurry up!" I yelled after him.

It was only the next day, as we got on the train to head to the amaaaazing city of Dublith, that Lynn had vanished during Edward and Alphonse's fight.

. . . . . . . . . .

I had slept on the streets the day I fled the military building. When I awoke, I just walked. I needed time to sort some things out.

I walked farther and farther from the military building, not really caring where I was going. I kicked a stone and almost lost my balance. I swore. "Damn legs."

I had realized something as Winry had beaten Alphonse with her wrench, revealing those memories of hers about Edward's fear. I had realized that even though we were all friends, and people were nice to me, I didn't know Ed or Al well. I knew their pasts, sure, but I didn't know bits and pieces about who they truly were. What did they like? What did they hate? What did they do as children? How much did I not know?

I sighed. What was I even doing here, anyway? I was not from here. No one understood what I said. I made references to things no one knew about, making them all uncomfortable. I couldn't fight well enough to protect Edward and Alphonse, and no one liked bringing me along because of my legs. I was practically useless. Nina and Alexander were dead because of me.

I didn't belong here.

I thought of Sesame Street. "Find the one in the group that doesn't belong, huh?" I held back tears. "Alright, kids, it's either Ed, Al, Winry, or me! Point and choose!" I choked back a sob and stared up at the stars.

"Huh? Oh, it's dark already?" The time on my own went by fast since I was wrapped in my own thoughts. I wasn't as distracted as to not notice Hughes running to a payphone.

He yelled a code into the phone, seeming frantic. I noticed he was bleeding. "Hughes!" I started to run over to him. "Are you okay?!"

Then, Maria Ross held a gun up to his head, telling him to put down his phone. I searched my pockets for my gun, and realized I didn't have it.

No.

Not again.

Then, before my eyes, she turned into Gracia. Hughes was about to stab her, but he hesitated, tears forming in his eyes out of fear, hatred, and something else.

"You wouldn't shoot your wife, would you?"

"NOOOOOOOOO!" I ran as fast as I could, but my legs-

I saw Hughes's eyes flick over to me just before he was shot.

"No.. not again... no.." I fell to my knees, Hughes's bloody corpse changing back and forth from him to Nina's broken body and then back to him again. I was seeing things.

"Hmm? Oh, you're the one Father is going on about, the one who isn't from here." Gracia- No, there was no way in hell that was Gracia, walked towards me. She turned into a boy/girl with long, spiky green hair, purple-black skirt-shorts, and a purple-black chest covering-shirt thing. "You don't look so good." He knelt in front of me, putting a finger under my chin. "Oops, you've seen me, you aren't supposed to know I killed him." He picked me up by the head, dangling me in the air. I didn't resist. I could still see Hughes and Nina, back and forth, back and forth, blurring their bodies together. I heard Mustang calling for Hughes through the phone. "Weeeellll, a little memory tampering wouldn't hurt, would it?" He smiled wickedly.

The murderer smashed me into the ground, head-first. I blacked out, visions of things I'd rather forget being the last things I saw.

. . . . . . . . . .

**That was hard. I was almost moved to tears while writing it.**

**I'll see you again soon.**

**Love,**

**~Rabbit**


	14. Oops, Forgot Her, Oh Well

**Alright, well, I just watched Life of Brian and it was amazing.**

**I've decided to do a Rush Valley chapter. I'm not really sure how I'm going to do this, so I'll just go with it.**

**This takes place a day or so after Hughes's murder, right?**

. . . . . . . . . .

"UWAH! Beautiful!" A pretty woman called out. "This ring is the latest item from Remus Jewlers! I thought I'd never see it here! Buy it for me, please!" She turned to her sparkling, richly dressed companion. He grinned.

"UWAH! Beautiful!" Winry called out. "This automail is a Gott's 11th year model! I thought I'd never see it here!" Al and I gave her a look. "What?!" She asked defensively.

"Nothing." We said quickly.

"Ah, Rush Valley, the Holy Land of Automail. Technology advances here quickly. It really is all about automail." Winry swooned.

"I hope the economy stays afloat." I muttered to Al. "It's full of unrest 'cause of these borders."

"Uwah! 51 straight wins in a row!" A spectator cried out. Tons of people were crowded around a table with a bulky guy sitting there he had two metal arms.

"Automail arm wrestling contest!" A skinny dude yelled. "Limited only to those with automail arms! Pay the entrance fee and if you win, you get the jackpot!" A guy with one automail arm came over and sat at the table.

"I just got this put on, lets test its limits, shall we?" He grinned at the bulky man sitting across from him.

"Oh, you seem pretty confident, pal." The two got into position.

"Ready... set... GO!" I watched as the bulkier guy smashed the other guy's arm on the table, breaking it into little pieces.

"You sure this is new?" The bulkier guy laughed. "Sorry, bub, lemme get rid of this scrap for ya." He flung the broken thing away as the guy stared, horrified. The crowd went nuts, grabbing for the now armless guy.

"Lemme fix it for ya!"

"I'll give you a discount!"

"I'll let you pay down payments!"

"I saw him first!"

They all scrambled for him.

"Hey, big guy, wanna give it a shot?" The skinny guy pointed at Al.

"No, I couldn't!" Al waved his hands in front of him quickly.

"Oh? Well, then, how about the shorty? Nah, he's too short, he'd just get hurt." Everyone laughed while Winry looked horrified. Al would've looked horrified, too, I'm sure, if he could. "Now, who else wants to try?"

I slammed my hands on the table, sitting down heavily.

"Woah, the shorty's really gonna go for it? Interesting.." The skinny guy said.

"You'd better win, Ed." Winry fumed.

"There's too much difference in size and strength. Looks like another arm is gonna break." One spectator commented.

"Ready... set... GO!"

I slammed his hand down, breaking his automail arm apart. Everyone was stunned. "Sorry, looks like a busy day for scrap dealers." I grinned wickedly. Automail producers swarmed in on him, carrying him away. Al explained to Winry how I used alchemy to win, and then people were swarming me and Winry, praising Winry on her automail making, and stripping me so they could see my automail parts. It was a horrible breaking of personal space.

Eventually, everyone left. I was incredibly rich (I handed the money to Al so he could stuff it in his armor when no one was looking) and I was only in boxers. I threatened to give Al a thrashing when he laughed at me. As I pulled on my pants, I started searching them when I realized something was missing.

"My state alchemist ID, the watch:" I paused. "It's gone."

We walked around, asking people if they'd seen the watch.

"This brings back memories of when we were looking for Marcoh." Al said. "If only Lynn was here to do a drawing of it for us..."

We all halted.

"Uh oh." Winry muttered. "I forgot to tell you that I hadn't seen Lynn since your fight..."

"Crap, we forgot about her again!" I groaned.

"It's too easy to forget about her." Al said. "When she's here, everyone loves her and no one would forget her, but when she's gone, we just sort of go back to the way it was and forget that she was ever here. We just go back to you, me, and Winry." He sounded guilty.

"Gah. Oh well, she'll be fine, the Lieutenant Colonel will take care of her." On the inside, I was worried.

"But the last time she disappeared, she was stuffed in a closet and was almost murdered..." Al said, worried.

"WHAT?!" Winry gasped. "What are you waiting for?! We need to phone Central right away and make sure she's okay!"

"Hey, were you guys looking for a silver watch?"

Lynn was pushed to the back of my mind as I ran over to the guy for information.

"Looks like you've been conned. This seems like the work of the Bunny, a thief who targets tourists." An old guy with a metal thing over his eye said, grinning.

"Can you tell me where I can find this person?! Please, the watch was very important!" I begged them.

"Well, no harm in telling you, I suppose. But let us take a look at your automail!" They got that fangirl look in their eyes and moved closer to me. I turned part of my automail into a dagger again and pointed it at their throats, annoyed. They put their hands in the air. "West side main at a collectors shop called Glatz."

We ran to the store. I burst through the door. A pretty woman was trying to open the watch. "Don't move!" I yelled angrily. "Never open it, bastard." I glared.

"Hey, catch!" The girl kicked a 100,000 cenz jar at me (the guy was panicked and yelled it out). I caught it.

"Nice catch!" She grinned, and hopped out the window, running away. Al and I followed her across the rooftops. I was half glad that Lynn wasn't here. She'd never have been able to keep up.

"Hold it right there, you bitch!" I sped after her. I was soooo close..

"Too slow! You're ten years too early, trying to beat me on my own turf.." She yelled, turning. Suddenly, Al loomed in front of her and swiped at her. She ducked. We chased her to a dead end.

"No sweat!" She grinned, and leaped over the wall.

"What the fuck?!" I glared. Al boosted me over the wall. "Not so fast!"

An angry bulldog growled at me. The girl sat atop a post, grinning. "AAAAAAAAAGHHH!" I got attacked.

Al transmuted a door in the dead end and ran over to me. "Be a good boy and let my brother go." He told the dog. The dog growled. "NOW!" He loomed over the dog and it ran for its life. "Brother, are you okay?"

"I'M GOING TO KILL THIS BITCH!" I yelled.

"But she's a girl..."

"AS LYNN WOULD SAY, 'EQUALITY OF SEXES'!"

I found her on a rooftop trying to open it. "Don't open that damn watch."

"Got a dark secret in there?" She teased.

"None of your business," I replied stiffly. "Now, give it back."

She stuck her tongue out at me! I clapped and struck the ground. A thousand hands rose up and surrounded her. "Not bad," She grinned. "Who are you, really?"

"State alchemist." I glared. She jumped out of the way as my hands tried to crush her.

"Haha, this is my first time toying with a state alchemist." She chuckled.

"You're not getting away!" I transmuted a huge wall in front of her that said 'STOP'. "Gotcha now!" She jumped, launched herself on the wall, and landed on my head, crushing me to the ground.

"Perfect landing."

"GODDAMNIT!" I stood, sending her flying off.

I chased her around, sending alchemy all about, trying to catch her. She was like a monkey, leaping around and jumping and twisting. I finally got her cornered on a roof. I slammed my palm to the ground. She watched, a smug smirk on her face as nothing happened. I grinned, too, as the roof collapsed from under her. She landed in some guy's shop. I transmuted a cage, which fell down and trapped somebody.

The shop owner, not her. Gah. I freed him. When I walked out of the shop, I saw Al had put her in a cage. I grinned.

"You might wanna step back." She said.

"Huh?"

A sharp blade cut open her pants and protruded from her AUTOMAIL (wtf?!) leg. "My other leg can shoot projectiles, too." She smiled and shot a rocket at me that exploded. I ducked. Winry grabbed her as she started fleeing.

"Not so fast! I'm not letting you go! You have to let me take a look at your automail!" She went ultra fangirl mode. Al and I fell to the ground, exasperated.

Winry convinced her to let her take a look at it. She was blabbing about the aesthetic and weapons and amazingness, blah blah blah, so I tuned her out. One comment caught my attention.

"Both legs are automail.. She was right, it can be done..."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her.

"Nothing. Just muttering to myself." She grinned, trying to cover up her slip. "So, Bunny, who made these?"

"He lives in a remote place, so I'll have to be your guide there! I'll take you if you forget everything that happened today!" She grinned.

"Okay!" Said Winry.

"Hey, wait just one minute! She attacked a soldier! And look at what happened to the town!" I gestured angrily.

Then the villagers cornered me and made me start reconstructing their damaged homes. Al helped.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Oh, so that's the real reason why you want to see him. I'd like to meet this friend of yours, she seems like an interesting person." Bunny smiled at me.

"Yeah, she is. I just feel so bad for her, you know, and I made her a promise. This guy could help me keep the promise." I smiled sadly. Lynn was waiting back in Central, I was sure, and she needed this fast.

"Well, it's in the middle of nowhere, so we'd better get going."

"Come on, Ed, Al!" I called to them as they finished up. Ed kept muttering to himself about how this was so dumb. I glared at him, knowing that if he knew why I was doing this he'd understand and would be much more willing.

Or would he?

Either way, we ended up crossing a canyon and going through mountains. I looked down at a large drop and closed my eyes.

"For Lynn for Lynn for Lynn.." I muttered, trying to ignore the fact that I could die.

Edward argued with Bunny about getting his watch back, and then we were there.

"Phew. No more heights." I wiped a drop of sweat off my forehead.

"Bunny? What are you doing up here?" A man with glasses asked as we entered the shop.

"This is Winry. She's interested in Tommy's work."

"Oh, I see."

A pregnant woman called out to us from the window of the door. "Hey, Bunny, brought some friends today? That's good, you're just in time, I made snacks." She smiled.

"I'm Lear Ricardo." The bespectacled man smiled. "This is my wife Sadila."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Winry." I shook their hands.

"The genius loner is my father, Tommy!" He smiled.

Eventually, Ed and Al went off with Sadila and Lear, and I sat with a muscular elderly man and Bunny at the table.

"Do not critique the artistry of hidden weapons!" Tommy was saying.

"Yes, yes, it's art!" I joined in Bunny and Tommy's argument. "Besides its normal functions, it has a hidden weapon that its not easily detached. It's art!" I smiled.

"You have a good eye, Missy." He said, nodding in approval. We went on to discuss the hardness, weight, need to synchronize with the wearer, and designs of automail legs. This was good. I could use this knowledge. Lynn would be proud.

"Edward, come here!" I beckoned Ed. I wanted Tommy to see Ed's automail to see if it was good enough.

"Hmm, 17% iron, 1% steel," He muttered, looking at it carefully. "Using his body as a comparison, this arm is too heavy. The stress of it might explain why he's so short for his age."

"You mean that if we lightened this arm I might grow taller?!" Edward started praising the heavens and kowtowing and such.

"Mr. Tommy, please accept me as your apprentice!" I bowed.

"Definitely not!" He started cleaning the wax out of his ears.

"Please reconsider.." I groaned at his flat out refusal.

"Shut up! I don't need an apprentice!" He growled.

"Even if you don't take her as an apprentice, could you teach her how to make me grow taller?" Ed asked.

"Get lost!" He yelled.

"What?!" Ed yelled back.

"Mr. Tommy, please!" I begged. If I didn't learn how to make those legs perfectly, Lynn-

"I don't need an apprentice!" He insisted.

"Give me my pants back!" Edward yelled!

"Please!" I asked again.

"I don't need an apprentice!" He yelled again.

"Edward! Stop that!" I pulled Ed back as he lunged at Tommy.

"Haha, my dad's pretty stubborn, sorry." Lear apologized.

"Go home!" Tommy growled as a clap of thunder startled us all. Rain started pouring down.

Lear let us have some hot chocolate, and Bunny started complaining about how her legs ached in bad weather. The rain wasn't letting up. I sat next to Bunny.

"Why do you have mechanical legs, Bunny?" I asked.

"An accident happened. I was poor, and I couldn't walk, so I felt like life wasn't worth living after that." She replied. I thought of Lynn, who could barely walk. She was always cheery when I was around. Poor Lynn.

"I had only just started walking when I lost my legs." She continued. "I felt like I had been pushed into a bottomless pit! My gaze was like that of a dead person. Then, Tommy found me. He took me and forcefully attached automail legs on. Recovery was slow, but being able to stand on my own two feet again was worth it." She smiled. "But Mr. Tommy won't let me pay him, and he does free check-ups on my legs, too! I come back all the time to pay him but he refuses to take the money!" She sighed.

"Hey, if you really want to repay Tommy, you should stop stealing things!" I got in her face.

"But if I don't steal, how can I repay him?" She pouted.

"Mr. Tommy made those legs so you could live happily. You should repay him by living life to the fullest and not stealing! Edward would call it equivalent exchange!" I pronounced.

"Live life to the fullest, huh?" She looked at her legs. "Okay! I'll stop being a thief and I'll get a job! Speaking of which, I forgot to return Ed's pocketwatch."

"Oh, this is the proof of being a state alchemist!" I took it from her hands and eyed it. Lear came to get a closer look. "I've never seen it before."

"What?! That kid's recognized by the state?!" He exclaimed.

"Looks can be deceiving." Said Bunny. "I can't open it! He said not to, so maybe there's a dirty secret inside!"

"Heh heh heh. Time for me to show my skills." I pulled out a lockpick set. "That idiot used alchemy to lock it!" I used my tools until it opened.

"Edward's big secret is.." Bunny and Lear leaned closer. I read the words on the locket.

_ Don't forget October 3 Year 11_

Tears filled my eyes. That was the day that Edward burned his house down. I closed the locket, then wiped my eyes. "Give this back to Edward! I'm going to ask Tommy one more time!" I handed Bunny the locket and stomped off. I would do this.

"LEAR! YOUR WIFE!"

Things were hectic and multiple things started happening at once. She said it was time. Everyone flipped out. She was going to have a baby! Tommy said he'd get the doctor, but the bridge had collapsed. Edward couldn't build a new bridge, so Tommy took the long route. Everyone started going crazy when Sadila's water broke.

"QUIET!" I yelled. Everyone quieted. I grabbed an apron. "I'll deliver the baby." I could do it. How hard could it be?

"Do you have any experience?!" Lear was panicky.

"No, but there's no time to wait for someone who does have experience." I started giving orders. "Ed! Al! Get hot water, quickly! It doesn't matter how much, but the more the better! Bunny, get more towels! Lear, do you have any disinfectant?! And get Sadila a pillow! Hurry!" Think, think, think, Winry! "Water..disinfectant..towels..pillow.." I was going completely on memory from a book I read. "Did I forget anything? Think, think, think, think! A life depends on it!" I stood at the door.

"Winry! Good luck." Ed and Al stared at me. Al had his fists clenched. I stared back, then nodded.

"Right!" I walked in the room. "Bunny, can you come in and help me?"

"Okay!" She followed me in and we shut the door.

. . . . . . . . . .

"GAAAAAAAH! IT HURRRRTS! I'M GOING TO DIE!"

Al and I heard screaming from inside the room. I was feeling afraid, and I didn't like it. Some alchemist I was. I couldn't do anything to help.

"I wish Lynn was here to tell us a story." Murmured Al.

"Yeah." I looked at the ceiling.

"She'd try and protect us from this, too, I bet. You know, if she knew we were afraid. She'd take us outside and she'd make us play a game to distract us." Al clenched his fists.

"But she's in Central." I sighed. "All we can do now is pray to a god, if there is one."

"Yeah."

Then, the screaming stopped. Bunny came out of the room, falling on the ground. "Blood...blood... I can't take any more of this."

"Winry! What happened?" Al and I ran in the room. Winry's apron had blood splattered on it, which made me nervous. She pointed towards the bed.

The baby was alive. It started to cry. Al and I cheered.

"What's the matter, Bunny? Afraid of a little blood?" I taunted, leaning out the door to see her lying on the ground.

"Blood... I can't stand blood.." She muttered weakly.

"Good job, Sadila! We have Winry to thank, too!" Lear was happy.

"Uwah, the baby is adorable! That's great, that's great!" I grinned.

"Ed, you're talking like a little kid." Winry observed.

"It's amazing! Scientists were unable to create life for thousands of years, but women can do it in nine months!" I yelled happily.

"Don't compare life with your alchemy!" Winry fumed, sitting on the ground.

"Right, sorry, sorry. Professional interest." I grinned. "But it's still wonderful! Humans are really amazing! You were great, too, Winry!" I looked down at her. "You helped deliver a baby without an accident!"

"Right.. Now that it's all said and done.." She grabbed my sleeve. "Help me up. My back hurts."

I picked Winry up and carried her on my back out of the room.

"Ed?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"I saw what was written in your silver pocketwatch."

I dropped her abruptly.

"How dare you.. How DARE you open it?!" I glared. She stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry." She stared at the floor.

"Idiot." I helped her to a chair and plopped down beside her. "No one has seen that. Not Al, not Lynn, not Mustang. Nobody. It's a warning and remembrance for myself. I always carry it with me."

She started to cry. "I'm crying for you two, since neither of you can or will cry."

"Idiot." I paused. "You should go home. Granny might need you."

"No." She wiped her eyes. "Now that I know more, I can't go home. I have to become stronger for you and Al and Lynn." She wiped her eyes. "I have to do this for her.." She stared at the ground. "And for you. That's why I"m going to ask Tommy to accept me as his apprentice one more time!"

"Good luck." I stood with a grateful smile. I then proceeded to hit Bunny as punishment for stealing my watch.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Thank you! This good delivery was all thanks to you!" Tommy bowed to me. The doctor had checked on the baby and complimented me on my first delivery. Sadila's baby was healthy.

"It was nothing!" I said.

"Hey, pops, since you're so grateful, why don't you accept her as your apprentice?" Ed asked him wickedly.

"Beat it!" He replied gruffly. "Though I'm thankful for her help, these are two different matters entirely! I don't need an apprentice and she has her own family to return to!"

I looked at the ground sadly.

Edward was upset. "Looks like there's still no chance."

"But he's right, Winry shouldn't leave Granny Pinako alone!" Al said.

Tommy fell out of his chair. "Resembool's Pinako?"

"She's my grandmother." I said. He backed against the wall, looking shocked.

"Pinako Rockbell? Just remembering those times terrify me..." He paused. "Forget it! Even if you are related to that woman, I don't need an apprentice!" He coughed. "But.. if you really want to learn, I can introduce you to a good mechanic."

"Can I come here to learn?" I asked as he patted my head and walked away.

"Don't come bother me! But if you're here to see my grandson, that's okay. And those three good-for-nothings over there can come, too." He said gruffly. Everyone smiled.

Later, we got a ride to town. I was to look for a mechanic called Jafar. Ed and Al ran to catch their leaving train. I chased them.

"Granny must be worried! Make sure you give her a call!" He hopped on the caboose of the train with Al.

"I don't need you to remind me!" I yelled back.

"Haha! Better steal some techniques from the old man and get me a new arm!"

"You bet!" I waved as their train left. "I'll be sure to work on the stuff for Lynn, too." I whispered to myself. After all, that was the main reason I had asked for the apprenticeship.

Later, I called Granny and told her about what I was doing. I put down the phone afterward and was about to leave the room when it rang again. "Hello?"

"Ah, Winry, right?" Colonel Mustang's voice came through the phone. "I've been calling every automail shop in Rush Valley. Have you seen the Elric's around?"

"They just departed for Dublith." Why was the colonel trying to get a hold of Ed and Al?

"Oh, I see. I was going to tell them a few things, but never mind." He paused, as if debating something in his head. "Have a nice day." He hung up.

. . . . . . . . . .

**Next stop, Dublith!**

**Don't worry, Lynn will show up in that chappie. Sorry about the wait.**

**Should I write a chapter first about what happened to Lynn while the boys and Winry were in Rush Valley?**

**Let me know what you think!**

**~Rabbit**


	15. You're Not My Mother (Thank Goodness)

**Alright! Lynn has re-entered Al and Ed's lives. Here goes nothing...**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Alright, we're here." I stretched as we got off the train. The station was crowded. Two other trains were unloading people. One was from Central, I thought.

"Hey, Brother, look over there!" Alphonse pointed excitedly to the left.

It was Lynn.

She was looking around anxiously, clutching a small suitcase. She had a black dress on. It had a v-neck, and she wore her choker with the silver bird on it. She was also wearing a black sunhat, which made me almost not recognize her. She spotted us and made her way over.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Edward! Alphonse!" I waved as I hobbled over to them, shoving my way through the crowd. It was good to see them.

"Lynn!" They waved, grinning, and my eyes filled with tears. They were safe. Nothing bad had happened when I was away. I tackled them both in a hug. "Where have you been? We missed you!"

"Oh, I've been in Central."

"Anything happen while we were gone?"

"No." I lied, my throat constricting. Tears filled my eyes. I couldn't bring them bad news. They looked so happy.

"What's the matter?!" Al reached out.

"I missed you guys. I was so worried you'd get hurt or die or something." I squeezed their hands. Al and Ed exchanged a look like "I knew it".

"Well, you're a bit early." Ed looked kind of nervous. "We're about to die, you see."

"WHAT?!"

"Our Sensei... is not going to be happy with us when we visit her..." Alphonse groaned.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you if she tries to kill you." I said firmly. The pair exchanged that look again. "What?"

"Lets go and get this over with. If we're lucky, she won't be home."

On the way there, Edward and Alphonse told me about the automail people, the girl with two automail legs, Winry's decision to stay behind, and the baby. I smiled at them. Inside, I was excited. Winry was learning about automail from two people, and one was the older guy who made the "Bunny" girl's legs!

"So how did you know we were in Dublith, Lynn?" Al asked.

"Colonel Mustang told me where you were." I didn't tell them that this trip was intended to help me recover from the tragedy of Hughes's death. I didn't tell them that Mustang said that he needed me out of Central for a while for "safety reasons", whatever that meant. I didn't tell them that Hughes was dead, or that I couldn't remember how he died, only that I saw him die. The murderer himself is blurry in the memories. I didn't tell them that I had a head injury that needed healing (I wore the hat to cover the bandages). They didn't need to know any of it right now.

We arrived at a butcher's place.

"I hope that Sensei isn't home.." Ed mumbled. Both he and Al started to tremble. I didn't even know that Al could tremble.

"Welcome!" A voice shouted from behind us. Ed and Al jumped with fear, and I spun around to see a smiling, muscled man. "Oh, hey, Edward, long time no see!" He grinned. "Hahaha! You're as short as ever!"

"Mr. Mason? I haven't seen you in a while." Edward was trying not to kill this guy, I could see it. I smiled wanly.

"Who're these people?" He pointed to me and Al.

"I'm his little brother, Alphonse." Said Al.

"Lynn Grey, at your service." I gave a stiff bow. Mason chuckled.

"You guys must be here to see the Curtises. You're in luck, they just came back from a trip."

"If they would only go back on the trip." Muttered Ed, and Al nodded in agreement. Mason went off to find the person.

A huge, muscled man stepped out of the doorway holding a cleaver in his hand. His apron (it looked manly, to my surprise) was spattered in blood. He had brown hair, a beard, and a mustache. He looked like he could kill somebody.

"How... how do you do?" Al asked nervously.

"Edward!" His hand lunged for Edward's head. My hand went for my gun, remembering Scar's destructive powers. Al caught my hand before I could shoot the guy, and then I saw why. He rubbed Ed's head, telling him that he'd grown. He rubbed Al's head, too, saying he'd grown a lot.

"We're here to see Sensei. How's she doing?" I followed Ed, Al, and the tall man (Mr. Curtis) as they walked over to a window.

"She's usually quite healthy, but she's a little sick at the moment. Izumi! The Elric shorty is here to see you."

"I'm coming."

"Hey, should you guys have come? I mean, you could make her sicker." I frowned at them. I had deduced that Izumi was a female from the voice.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open, sending Ed flying. "News of you has reached us, my foolish student. You actually became a dog of the military? Huh?! Explain yourself!" A woman stood in a white coat, black shorts, and sandles. Her hair was black and in dreadlocks that were pulled into a ponytail. She noticed Al. I had been standing on the other side of the door, so she didn't see me. "Who's the tin can?"

"It's Alphonse." He said.

"My, you've grown tall!" She offered him her hand to shake.

"No, I haven't changed much- ah!" She flipped Al over, sending him crashing on the ground. I just stood there, trembling.  
She reminded me of my mother, looks-wise. Mother's hair had been black as well, and it was usually pulled back into a ponytail. Mother had a similar expression on her face all the time, except Mother's was darker and scarier. Mother wouldn't have worn what Izumi wore, but the resemblance scared me. I couldn't move.

"Not enough training!" She was saying.

"Isn't sensei supposed to be sick?" Al asked.

"This is all because you two-" She broke off as blood suddenly gushed from her mouth. I gaped.

"Don't push yourself. Drink your medicine." Her husband handed her a bottle of something, which she downed in one gulp. Then she and her husband embraced.

"Forgive me for making you worry!"

"Don't speak, it's okay. We made a promise."

"Dearest!"

Ed and Al looked away uncomfortably. I didn't move, fighting back memories that swam before my eyes. No more visions.

"Welcome back." She smacked the back of Edward's head playfully. Then she noticed me.

"Who's the grey and black ghost?"

"Oh, that's Lynn. She's our friend from the country." Edward glanced at me. "You alright?"

I managed a nod. I followed them into the house, shoving down the urge to run away or shoot the woman.

"Do you have any news of the Philosopher's Stone, Sensei?" Edward asked after we were all seated at the table. I stared down at my hands, clenching them to stop the trembling. I kept seeing things, and I didn't like it. Hopefully, it was just from my head injury, and it would go away once I was healed.

"I'm not usually interested in rocks." She said. I flinched at her voice. Her voice was close to Mother's voice. "Are you researching it?" She asked suspiciously.

"No, no, I'm just curious!" Edward lied quickly.

"Izumi, on our travels at Central we met someone who mentioned the stones." Mr. Curtis said.

"Oh, yeah, I think his name was Hoenheim!" Edward stiffened, and I looked up. Alphonse seemed excited, and Edward was stricken.

"What was he like?!" Al asked.

"Blonde hair in a ponytail, glasses, rather macho. He was modest. I'm not sure about his age." Izumi paused. "Not as macho as you, dear!" She consoled her husband.

"He's still alive." Al muttered.

"Do you know him?" Izumi asked what I had been thinking. I hadn't said anything because I was afraid that speaking would break the spell I put on myself to keep me calm. Really, the resemblance between Izumi and Mother was scary, though Izumi seemed a little nicer. She hadn't hit me yet.

"He's our.. father.." Al murmured.

"The one that left when you were little? This is good, he could still be in Central-" She began.

"I will never ask that bastard for help!" Edward interrupted, clenching his fist.

"What did Dad say?" Al asked.

"He said something about fulfilling his life's dream. He looked pretty happy." Izumi murmured.

Mr. Curtis got us some food, and we all started chowing down. Well, except for Al and I, of course. I felt sick and Al couldn't eat, period. Everyone was laughing and talking about adventures. I poked my meat with a fork. They were talking about the baby in Rush Valley when Ed said something that brought about a change in Izumi that I noticed.

"Speaking of which, Sensei, you haven't had kids-" He started. Izumi got a look of painful regret on her face that made me relax a little. Mother would never look like that.

"Edward!" Mason yelled suddenly. "How's your alchemy coming along?! Show us the fruit of your training!"

"Oh, yeah, we've been studying, Sensei! Come see, come see!" Ed and Al got up and ran outside.

I stayed and watched Mr. Curtis make sure Izumi was alright. Could she have had a stillbirth? Was she sterile? Hmm.

We all watched as Al drew a large transmutation circle on the ground with chalk. He transmuted a very detailed rocking horse into existence from the rock. Izumi praised him. When it was time for Ed's turn, he clapped and made a giant warhorse pegasus. Al scolded him on the lack of details, while Izumi looked shocked and grave. I did not like that look, and I backed up a little, the coward that I was.

"You don't need to draw a circle?" She asked.

"Ah, no, I don't." Said Ed.

"No way... unless..." She paused. "Have you seen it, Edward?"

He froze. "Ah... whatever do you mean, Sensei?" He said awkwardly after he recovered from his original shock. I didn't know what was going on.

"You've seen it, right?" She asked again.

"Yeah." He clenched his fists.

"That's why you were called a genius and accepted at such a young age." She looked down at him. I didn't like her face. She and Mother were blending together in my vision. I tapped my head lightly with my fist, trying to clear my vision and thoughts. Stupid head wound.

"I'm not a genius, I just saw it. Sensei..!" He began, but was interrupted with the cries of children.

"Mrs. Izumi!" A trio of kids ran up. "Mrs.." They paused and skirted carefully around Mr. Curtis. "..Izumi!" They ran over to her. Mason tried to comfort the dejected Mr. Curtis as the kids asked for Izumi's help.

"What?"

"My train is broken!" One said.

"Alright, I'll go get my tools." She started leading them into the house.

"Aren't you going to use alchemy?!"

"No."

"Why not?!"

Don't anger her, children! I wanted to yell. Gee, what was my problem? Izumi Curtis was NOT my mother.

She fixed the kids' toys and they left happily. Then, a sad little girl arrived with her cat. "Mrs. Izumi? Chiko's not moving!"

"She's already dead." Izumi pronounced sadly after she examined the cat.

"But.. but Mrs. Izumi can fix anything!" The girl said, hope still in her eyes.

"Toys and living things are different. I'm not god. Both you and Chiko have life, right? Once life has ended there's no coming back." Izumi patted the girl's head. I wasn't scared of Izumi that much anymore. "I can't bring her back to life, but I can make a grave for her." Izumi smiled sadly as the girl started to cry.

After we buried the cat and the girl's mother took her home, Izumi, Edward, and Alphonse had a discussion about life, death, and being a state alchemist. I tuned it out, focusing on separating Izumi and my mother in my mind. I did come back to the present, however, when Izumi kicked Edward in the face.

"Al is hollow and you have an automail leg and arm!" She proclaimed angrily. "When I flung you guys down earlier, the sounds were weird! Do you think I'm stupid?! What happened?!"

Ed gritted his teeth.

"Speak up!"

I walked back to the house as Edward retold the story of how it all happened. I had heard it before, and I had the feeling that they needed some alone time with their Sensei. When I got there, Mr. Curtis was cutting meat. He gestured to the upstairs, where I took my suitcase to unpack. I didn't bring much. My wheelchair was folded up in there, and I had an extra shirt. I didn't think we'd be staying long. A little while later, Ed, Al, and Mrs. Curtis came back and sat at the table, so I decided to eavesdrop. I stood near the doorway, listening in.

"Down on third avenue.." She began. What did this have to do with anything? "There's a coffin store, so go down and get some your sizes!" I heard her crack her knuckles threateningly. "Well, enough joking around. The master and the apprentice, huh?"

"So you transmuted someone, too, Sensei?"

"Yeah. Many of my organs are gone. You guys sure are big idiots."

"Yeah." I heard the sadness in Ed's voice.

"Morons!"

"Sorry."

"Ignorant!"

"Yes."

"Stupid apprentices!"

"We sure are."

"Shrimp!"

"...yes..."

"It must have been painful." The fury left her voice.

"Well, we were asking for it." Ed said lightly.

"You idiots, you don't have to force yourselves." I imagined she was giving them a hug.

"Sorry."

"We're sorry."

I smiled. I knew their sensei would forgive them.

"Now, what's our little eavesdropper's story?" I looked over. Izumi had walked over, a stern expression on her face.

"Ah!" For a minute, her face blurred with Mother's face. "Sorry!" I felt the blood drain from my face.

"Come here." She reached her hand out quickly, and her stern face blended with Mother's cruel one. I stumbled back.

"Mother, wait, I didn't mean it!" I cried out without thinking, and I tripped over my own two feet and fell back on my arse. I covered my face with my hands. "Sorry!"

"'Mother'?" She asked. I peeked through my fingers.

"Ah- Izumi? Sorry, I didn't realize it was you-"

"Come here." She grabbed my wrist, pulling me to my feet. Edward and Alphonse rushed into the room.

"Lynn, are you okay?!" They froze when they saw my pale face and head. My hat had fallen off, and they could clearly see the bandages wrapped over my head.

"You've got some explaining to do, Missy." Izumi said sternly.

. . . . . . . . . .

We corralled Lynn into the dining room and she plopped down in a chair. "Now, who did you transmute?" Sensei asked.

"I didn't transmute anybody!" She said nervously. "These two knuckleheads won't even teach me the most basic bits of alchemy."

"Who has the time?!" Brother asked.

"Enough!" Sensei stopped their bickering. "If you didn't transmute anyone, then why are you here?"

Lynn froze. "Well-" She scratched her head. She had gone very pale, and was obviously upset, but she tried to hide it.

"That was a little harsh, Sensei." I muttered.

"Well, if she has no goal, she'll be just be a burden on you two as you search for a way to get your bodies back."

"I have a goal!" She blurted.

"Oh? Spill it."

Lynn paused. "I'm going to protect them." She said.

"HAHAHA! You? Protect them?! Edward, you'd better go grab one of those coffins on third avenue." Sensei laughed. Lynn flushed, and stared at her hands. "What's so special about you that would let you protect them? As far as I know, you're only a cripple who can't walk."

"Sensei!" Brother stood, slamming his hands on the table. "That's too far!"

Lynn had gone white as the milk that Brother hated.

"I'm only stating the facts."

"I can shoot a gun. And I'm going to get au-" She stopped abruptly. "I'm going to get those two to teach me alchemy." She said finally.

Sensei frowned. "I bet you don't know a thing about alchemy."

"Wrong! I was reading some books on it while on the train rides. And I know about the law of equivalent exchange, and that human transmutation is forbidden." She was upset, I could see that for sure. Brother and I exchanged a look. The relationship between Sensei and Lynn was going downhill.

"Why did you think I was your mother, and why did you get that frightened reaction when I reached out for you?"

"You look and sound like my mother."

"And the answer to the second question?"

Lynn was silent.

"Stand up." Sensei rose. Lynn rose, too, though not as fast. Suddenly, Sensei lifted Lynn's skirt.

"AAH!" Brother yelled. I covered my eyes partially. Lynn shrieked and tried to push her skirt back down.

We all saw, though. We all saw her legs. The bones didn't look right, and her legs were crooked at some points, like her bones had been broken and didn't heal right. The braces were a shining silver color, though they weren't pure silver. They were probably iron or something.

"And how did this happen?" Sensei asked.

"Don't look!" She stumbled back, pushing her skirt back down. Eventually we got her to tell us about her childhood. Everyone was horrified.

"Alright, what prison is this?" Sensei cracked her knuckles ominously. "Someone needs the shit beaten out of them."

"Well," She glanced at Brother and I. "I'm not exactly from here."

"Go ahead and tell her." Brother said.

"I don't even think I'm from this planet. I come from a country called the United States of America, in the state Ohio, in a city near Toleto." She said quickly. Sensei stared at her, stunned.

"Do some alchemy."

"What?"

"I want to see if you can do it without a circle. Speaking of which, Al, why is it that Edward doesn't need a circle, but you do? Didn't you see the Ultimate Truth?"

"I don't know anything about the Ultimate Truth." I said. I think Lynn was glad that attention was diverted from her for a minute.

"Could it be you two have lost the memory from the shock?"

"Considering Al lost his entire body, he must've been much closer to the Ultimate Truth than I was!" Brother said.

"I wouldn't have seen the Ultimate Truth since I didn't pay a toll." Lynn muttered.

"But didn't you forget how you got here in the first place? That memory could've been your toll. And maybe your toll was so little because you didn't initiate the transmutation to get from there to here." I mused.

"We should try to help you get your memory back instead of focusing on mine." Lynn squeezed my hand. I only knew because I looked down and watched her do it.

"But.." Sensei and Brother had this weird look on their faces. "That memory.."

"What? What's wrong?!" I asked.

"Not wrong, more like scary." They both wiggled their hands creepily.

"You could go insane." Said Sensei.

"Maybe even turn into a vegetable.." Brother mused.

"I don't care!" I blurted. "As long as there is the possibility."

"Hmm, I'll check with some professionals on retrieving memories. Meanwhile, let's show you three to your rooms. I expect you'll be staying until you get Al's memories back, right?" Sensei smiled at us.

"Right!" Brother grinned. Sensei wanted to show Lynn to her room first, but Lynn already knew where it was, so she excused herself early. I heard Sensei whisper "I'm sorry about all of that earlier" in Lynn's ear. Lynn nodded and closed her door. Sensei led us down the hall to our room.

"I feel bad about what I said earlier, but it needed to be said." Sensei remarked to us. "I fear for her. One day, her protective impulses over you two will go too far, and she'll get herself hurt." She opened the door to our room and we put our stuff in there. "Good night."

"Good night, Sensei!" We both replied. Brother began to tuck himself into bed after he got changed.

"I was talking to Second Lieutenant Ross before we left, and I heard that Lynn tried to follow Ross and Brosh to the laboratory to rescue us." I remarked to Brother.

"What about it?"

"Well, Ross was annoyed at her and accidentally said something like, 'You can't come because your legs are useless!' And then part of Lynn's response to that was, 'It doesn't matter because I can fight. And if it ends up in a situation where you have to protect either me or them, choose them, because they have someone waiting for them at home.' I think she really does care about us, Brother."

"Yeah." Brother was quiet for a moment. "Sometimes, I get really mad, because she didn't ask to come here, and now she's stuck with us. She never really had a say in the matter."

"Well, she could've tried to find a way to get back, but instead she decided to help us get our bodies back." I thought of her determined look, and the fact that she cried when she saw us at the train station. "You know, she never really told us what happened in the city to give her that head wound."

"She didn't, did she?"

. . . . . . . . . .

I exited Grumman's office quietly. I had just been granted permission to take some of my subordinates with me to my new posting. I thought of what he had said. "I want my granddaughter to be the wife of the next Fuhrer".

The real Fuhrer was the reason I had sent the still-recovering Lynn to Dublith.

When we found Hughes's body, Lynn's body had been near it, though she was alive. Her head had been bleeding badly. We rushed her to the hospital, and Havoc kept vigil over her until she woke up. She missed Hughes's funeral.

We asked her if she had seen Hughes's murderer. She said that she watched him die, but the murderer himself was all foggy, and she couldn't remember what happened after he died. She was really upset, and refused to eat. When she slept, she had nightmares. Havoc stayed by her side. He had grown attached to her.

I hoped it was like a sibling or friendly attachment. She was only fifteen.

Anyway, she eventually convinced us to let her out of the hospital. I had heard from one of the people above me (so maybe I eavesdropped a little) that the Fuhrer suspected that Lynn had killed Hughes and then tried to commit suicide, which didn't make sense at all. It was almost as if he was trying to get rid of Lynn by pinning the crime on her. He was eventually going to ask foe a private meeting with her, I was certain, so I sent her to Dublith to meet up with Fullmetal. It would've been bad if the Fuhrer learned that she was not from Amestris and I hadn't told him about it.

I called my subordinates to my office. "So." I stood. "Private Kain Fuery," The shy man with black hair and glasses saluted. "Sergeant Vard Falman," The grey haired man with slit-like eyes saluted. "Second Lieutenant Himane Breda," The bulky man with orangish hair saluted. "Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc," The blonde fellow saluted while smoking his cigarette. "And Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye." My blonde shadow saluted. "You five are coming with me. No complaints. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" They spoke at once.

"Ah, wait," Havoc spoke up. "I've got a problem. I just got a girlfriend."

"You can get a new one. It's good that you've only just started dating her, that means there wasn't too much of a strong relationship to lose! Ahahaha!" I laughed. Havoc groaned.

What if Lynn became Havoc's girlfriend? That would be hilarious, and possibly illegal. She was, what, fifteen? And I doubted she had those sorts of feelings for him anyway. Did he have those feelings for her? Nah, otherwise he wouldn't have had a girlfriend. There goes that plan.

But whatever. I was being transferred! Yes!

. . . . . . . . . .

**Alright, that chapter's done.**

***sets out a platter with a cake on it* Here. I made this for you all. Make sure you share. And you can choose between a fork, a spoon, or a spork. *sets a pile of forks, spoons, and sporks down* Enjoy. *goes back to computer to type chapter sixteen***

**See you next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	16. Lizard-Man Hobo & Company

**Okie dokie, here's chapter sixteen.**

**I would totally love to have Edward, Alphonse, Mustang, Havoc, Envy, Brosh, Fuery, and more, but I don't own them. *sob***

**All I own is Lynn. I'm pretty proud of her, actually.**

**Anyway, here we goooooo!**

. . . . . . . . . .

I stared at the ceiling. Brother was preparing for bed. A day had passed since Lynn had told us about her past, and Lynn had mostly stayed in her room the entire day studying alchemy. She didn't even come down to eat.

"Al?" Brother asked me quietly.

"Yeah?" I responded turning my metal head towards Brother.

"I've been debating something in my mind all day, and I want your opinion. Is it better to have known and lost than to have never known at all?" He lay back on his bed.

"I thought the phrase was, 'It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all'," I was a little confused.

Brother sighed. "I guess what I'm wondering is if it's better to have had a loving mother who cared about us and lost her than to have had a mother who didn't love you at all."

"Oh." I understood. Brother was thinking about Lynn. I thought on it for a moment. "Who said there had to be one that was better?"

"Huh?"

"Both are tragic and sad. Whoever said that one had to be better than the other obviously made a mistake somewhere. The point is _not _to figure out who is in the better circumstance." I stated bluntly. "Things are not as good as they could be. We have to look forward, however, and try to get our bodies back. Lynn has to look forward and forget her mother. Her mother could never reach her here."

"I like your reasoning, little brother. I guess you're right about her mother, but the fact that her mother cant come here doesn't necessarily mean that she's safe. She could still get hurt." Brother groaned. "This is too much. We have to get your memory back, protect Lynn, get our bodies back, and not die, and now we have the new information about Lynn's parents. Gosh, next we'll learn something like Mustang was murdered while we were gone."

Brother was right. It was too much for young boys like us. We'd handle it, though, just like we've handled everything up to now.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Gee, time flies when you're reading, huh?" Lynn grinned. It had been two days since the incident with Izumi and the revealing of info about Lynn's mom. To get her mind off of depressing things, Al had suggested that we go to the library to study. She seemed to be feeling better.

"Yeah." I yawned. We were leaving the library to go back to Sensei's house, and the sun was setting, sending a beautiful array of colors dashing across the sky.

"Come on, you two, Sensei's gonna yell at us if we're late!" Al would've grinned if he could, I was sure.

"Miss, do you have any spare change?" A strange voice asked. I turned to see a creepy, bald, hunched-over homeless guy asking Lynn for money. She looked like she would give some to him if she had some.

"Go get a job, creep!" I yelled. Al scooped Lynn up and we started running away.

"Hey, you're being cold!" The creepy guy chased after us. "Armored mister-"

"Sorry, I don't have any money, either." Al said as we ran.

"Come on, state alchemists should be loaded with money!" The guy tugged on my sleeve.

"Don't know what you're talking about." I lied, hoping he'd go away.

"Come on. You and your brother are famous. You transmuted his soul, right?" He glanced at Lynn as I skidded to a halt. "You're not so famous. I don't know who you are."

"You're annoying." I glared.

"Bingo? That armored fellow there doesn't have a body."

I kicked him in the face, sending him crashing into a wall.

"Gah, you broke my nose!" He got up. "You're being too mean! All I did was guess right! I wanna see what your parents think of thi-" I threw a trash can in his face.

"Heh heh.." He wheezed. "You're getting so worked up. That armor guy ain't human, is he?"

I was going to beat him senseless when I heard the sound of a gun being cocked. I spun around to see Lynn pointing her gun straight at the creepy beggar.

"Shut up and beat it." She snarled. The guy ran off, showing a...TAIL?!

"What the heck was that?!" I stared as it turned a corner and was gone.

. . . . . . . . . .

"What, did you break your back?" Alphonse asked Edward. He was lifting weights, and he had suddenly froze, an astonished expression on his face.

"Nah, he'd have fallen over by now." I grinned, reaaaally gently slugging Al on the shoulder, making an echoing clang. The corner of Izumi's lips twitched up.

"I forgot this year's assessment." He started sweating even more profusely than he had been during weight lifting.

"Ah!" Al jolted.

"Assessment?" Izumi asked.

"You need to take an assessment every year our you'll lose your state alchemist title." I said, remembering Tucker's assessment.

"Good, I'll just call the military and telling them that you're quitting." Izumi reached for the phone, a sly grin on her face. Ed moved the phone out of her reach.

"Gotta think of something.." He muttered looking frantic. "If I can catch the next train to Central.." He grabbed his coat and flung his belongings in a suitcase. "I'll be back in a few days." He ran out the door.

"Wait!" If Ed went to Central, he'd learn of Hughes's death.

"What?" He turned. I saw determination in his golden eyes, and I gave up. He'd have learned eventually anyway.

"Be safe." I managed finally. He nodded and ran off. I watched him go with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"You know, we should probably go with him, Lynn!" Al said quickly.

"Nuh uh. You're staying here to be my sparring partner." Izumi dragged a disappointed Alphonse towards the back yard. I smiled and went upstairs. My gun needed cleaning, and I needed to buy some more ammo. Who knew when I'd get the chance to go into town by myself again?

I left a note saying where I went and that I had my gun with me. I grabbed my gun and the bit of money that Ed left during his hasty packing and I left. I went into town slowly, enjoying the walk and allowing my legs the chance to get used to the motion of walking that day. I strolled through town, stopping at one store to get some ammo. I was lucky; they had the right kind.

After I stopped by a pastry shop and bought cakes for everyone who could eat them with the remaining money I had, I prepared to return to Izumi's meat place. I felt reluctant. Izumi was not mean to me, but she.. you know... I just didn't enjoy being around her, that's all. I was walking in that direction when I saw a little kid crying all by himself.

"What's the matter?" I asked, hobbling over to him quickly.

"I can't find my momma!" He wailed. I shushed him gently.

"There, now, I'll help you find her. Come on, it'll be okay, don't cry." I wasn't exactly sure how you treated crying kids, so I did what Grams did for me and I pulled him into a hug. "Sssh, it's okay."

He stopped crying a minute or two later. "I last saw her this way." He sniffled, pointing the opposite direction of where I wanted to go.

"Alright, let's go look." This could work. It would delay me from going to the butcher house. And besides, I had my gun, I would be okay. He took my hand and pulled me around the city. I began to feel doubtful. Where were we going?

"There she is!" He darted in an alleyway. Wondering if there was a corpse, I hurried after him, hoping to shield him from horrors that I thought would be there.

But no.

Of course it was a trap.

Damnit.

The boy was talking to the tailed homeless guy we saw the other day, and the creepy lizard-man hobo handed the kid a puppy. "Good job, here you go, no harm done." The creep smiled creepily. The boy just clutched the excited puppy happily. He ran off with the pooch, and as he passed me he whispered, "Sorry." I whipped out my gun and fired repeatedly at the creeper, who had been coming toward me quickly. He doged most of the bullets, but one clipped him on the tail and he howled with pain.

"Suck it up." I glared, cocking the gun.

"How dare you shoot at me! I hadn't even said anything to you yet!" He scurried towards me once more. I shot at him again and again, but he was as quick as a snake. I paused to reload and he grabbed me by the head and pushed my head to the ground. I heard the crack as I fell unconscious yet again.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Oi, Al, we've got a problem." I heard Sensei call from the kitchen. We had just finished a sparring match. I lost, as usual.

"What?" I walked over to the kitchen where Sensei held a note in her hand.

"'Dear Al and Izumi,'" Sensei began reading the note. "'I needed ammo for my gun so I went on a walk to town. I brought my gun with me. Love, Lynn'" Sensei looked at the clock on the wall. "I would say she's been gone a while. She probably left shortly after Ed did."

"How do you know?" I asked curiously.

"Well, she wouldn't have gone alone if she knew you'd be done sparring soon and could accompany her." Sensei reasoned. "Now, go look for her!"

"Eh?"

"You heard me! It's dangerous for a girl to be out alone!" Sensei threw a towel at my face. "Go! Hurry up!"

I hurried out, tossing the towel back to Sensei as I dashed for the door.

Once in town, I walked to the ammunitions and guns store. I asked the guy at the counter if he had seen a hobbling teenage girl with grey hair and grey eyes. He said yes, and pointed me toward the bakery she had gone to afterward. I asked the guy there the same question I asked the gunman. He said that she bought mini cakes and started walking away. He pointed in a direction. That was the way to Sensei's house.

Had I missed Lynn? Was she on the way back and I had just left a little early?

"Hey, mister," A little kid who was playing with a puppy stopped and tried to get my attention.

"Yeah?" I looked down at him.

"I saw you were looking for someone. Did she hobble and have silver hair?"

I felt happy. "She's not an old woman." I informed him. He nodded. Tears filled his eyes. "Shewastakenbythathomelessguy becauseIledhertherebecausehe tookmypuppyanditwasatrapands hewasniceandnowshe'sprobablydead!" He wailed. I sorted through the information that he rapidly gave me.

Lynn was kidnapped? By a homeless guy.. Maybe the one from yesterday.. "Thank you for telling me." I ruffled his hair gently. "Do you know where they went?"

"The guy was muttering about an abandoned factory. He said something about greed, too.." The boy sniffled. "Go rescue her, knight!" He commanded. Being called a knight made me think of Lynn.

"I will." I nodded solemnly and ran off.

I eventually found the right place and walked in cautiously. "Hello?"

"Came alone, how brave of you. You got the note, then, huh?" A man dropped down behind me. Another man in a blue uniform with grey hair stood nearby. A woman with tattoos was there, too.

"What note?" I asked.

"Hah? You didn't get it? How'd you know about this place, then?" The woman asked.

"Where's Lynn?" I countered. I didn't want that boy to get any further involved.

"Lynn?" The thickly built, grey haired man asked.

"The cripple we brought in earlier." The man behind me explained. I bristled. They used the word 'cripple' in a negative way, like Lynn wasn't even human.

"Where's Lynn?" I asked again.

"If you come with us, we'll tell you." The grey haired man said bluntly.

"Sensei said I shouldn't go places with strangers." I said innocently. There was a brief pause of exasperation.

"How old are you again?"

"Fourteen."

"A fourteen year old should be able to think on his own and make his own decisions, right?" I turned to the guy behind me, who had spiky black hair and creepy eyes. He had his hand in a pointing position. "If you're really a man, stop saying 'Sensei this' and 'Sensei that'."

"That's right! I should decide on my own!" I said with false cheeriness. The guy totally bought it.

"That's right! So come with us-" He began, but I kicked him in the head, sending him flying. The other two people gaped.

"After thinking about it on my own, I decided to beat it out of you." I said darkly. The old man pulled out a large mallet and prepared to hit me with it. The lady pulled a knife and got in a fighting position. I charged at them. They braced themselves.

I ran right by 'em.

They paused, then bolted after me.

"Damnit, he's so troublesome!" The woman complained.

"Calm down, we have the advantage of territory." The old grey haired guy reasoned.

They chased and chased me, but what they didn't realize was that Brother and I had played tag here as a kid. Heh. Eventually I lost them and sat down. I wondered if I should try to cage them, but a transmutation circle would take time to draw and I had no chalk. Too bad I couldn't transmute like Brother could.

Suddenly, one of the long metal tubes above me was sliced up and the guy with spiky black hair tried to fight me with a sword. I bashed his face, and he swore. Then his sword tipped my helmet up and it fell off.

"Excuse my intrusion." The tattooed woman jumped in my suit. It was the most disgusting thing I'd ever experienced. I couldn't exactly feel her, but I could at the same time. It was horrible.

"Ick! Inside me?! Get out get out get out!" I reached for my shoulder strap to remove my arm.

"Not so fast!" She yelled triumphantly as her hands reached out in my arms, controlling my movements. It wasn't complete control, but resisting was hard. While I struggled, the thick grey haired man, whom I believed was called Roa, tripped me and flipped me over. I hid the ground with a large crash. He pinned me down while the woman inside complained of hitting her head.

They took me to a building and chained my hands together, and chained my foot to a wall. The woman was still inside, but I'd gotten used to it.

"Sorry about this." She said. "I have to be the guard."

"It's fine." I muttered. "Just don't touch the blood symbol or I"ll die." I paused. "Is Lynn okay?"

"I dunno, Guido brought her to our master. We were just instructed to get you, too." She rapped on my armor. "Our bodies are pretty cool."

"Our?" I asked.

"I'm a chimera. My body is merged with a snake."

"That's not possible!" I exclaimed, thinking of Nina. No way.

"Insulting much?" She said, sounding annoyed. "I used to be in the military. I was injured in one battle and they brought me back half dead, so they put me in some experiments and now I've got this body."

"That's cruel!" I yelled. "The military did that kind of experiment.. that's inhumane!"

They were about to say more when the door opened abruptly. A man with spiky black hair, sharp teeth, glasses, gangster clothes, and an ouroborous* tattoo on his hand came in.

His began by telling me his name was Greed.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Ugh..." I woke with a killer headache. "Gawd, I've _got _to stop getting my head pounded into the ground." I groaned, looking around. I was sitting on a couch in a bar, but most of the people in there were hookers and drunks. "Where am I?"

"The Devil's Nest." A voice from next to me said. I turned and saw him.

"Ah! Lizard-Man Hobo!" I yelled. The guy looked furious.

"Rude, much?" He scoffed. "I'm Guido."

"Well, sorry. I didn't mean to be mean to you. It's not like you kidnapped me or anything. Oh, wait, you did." I glared, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Guido! How's sleeping beauty doing?" A man and what looked like a weird possy followed him. I saw a tall, thick guy with grey hair and a mallet. He stood out the most. The other guys looked like your average thugs. The leader had spiky black hair, small glasses, and a tattoo that seemed oddly familiar on his hand.

"Excuse me?" I quirked an eyebrow. I was going to stand up, but I realized that my feet were tied up. My hands were tied behind my back. I almost laughed. It's not like I could run anyway. Thank goodness they left my leg braces on, though. I would hate to loose those again.

"Ah, she's awake! Splendid, maybe she will give more information than her metal friend." He grinned wickedly, walking over to me and patting my head. I glared.

"Give me back my gun." I glared. My gun was missing, of course. "It's mine. I stole it." I told the 'stole the gun' story to Mustang that one time, so it would probably be best if I stuck to that story.

"I don't think so." He squatted down so we could see eye to eye. "Now, how does soul binding work?"

"Soul binding?" I asked, my glare replaced with a look of confusion. "Like Al?"

"Yes, the metal one. Now, I suggest you give information, or we'll dissect him. Threats like that may not work on him, but telling by the expression on your face, they work on you." He grinned as I blanched. Dissect Alphonse? Was that even possible? It did not sound good, though.

"I don't know much." I confessed, staring in the man's creepy eyes to prove that I was telling the truth.

"Oh?"

"I'm not from here." I said hastily.

"Oh! I see. You're the space-traveler Pops told us about. I may not hang around my old man, but I know that much." He threw back his head and laughed.

"Pops?" My head started to hurt. Space-travelers and fathers...this and the tattoo was sounding familiar.

"Guess you really don't know much, huh? How'd you get here, anyway?"

"Don't know." I replied shortly. I did not like this guy.

"Well, you're practically useless. I don't know why you're a candidate at all. Maybe I should just kill you. That would really get on the old man's nerves!" He laughed again. I bristled, but felt panicky. I didn't want to die yet.

"Sir, the armor is putting up a fuss and Martel is not winning." The big guy with grey hair told the creepy guy in front of me.

"What's wrong with him now?" The man sighed.

"He's asking for a 'Lynn'."

"Al!" I yelled suddenly. I hoped he could hear me. "Don't worry, everything's gonna be fine!"

"Lynn?!" I heard him yell back.

"Shaddup!" The guy in front of me yelled to both of us. "Gee, you guys are loud. I should just kill and dissect you, gosh."

"Hypnotize him!" I blurted, desperate to save our skins.

"Huh?" He looked down at me.

"Hypnotizing could make his memories come back." I said quickly, recalling when Al said that he couldn't remember seeing Truth.

"Ooh, good idea, babe." He mused.

"Babe?" I swear a vein in my temple throbbed with fury. This guy was pissing me off. "Don't call me that, bastard."

"I'm Greed, not 'Bastard'." He waved his hand mildly. "Go get someone who knows about hypnotizing!" He told one of his lackeys. He motioned to me with one hand and another lackey picked me up in the air and threw me over his shoulder, ignoring my angry protesting. I threw some curse words in there for good measure.

"Armor!" Greed yelled throwing the door to a room open. "Your feisty cripple here had a good idea."

I ignored the comment as they plopped me down next to Al. "Sorry, Alphonse, this is all my fault." I said glumly.

"It's alright. They probably would've come after me sooner or later anyway. They want to know how I'm 'immortal', so to speak." He would've smiled sadly if he had a face, I was certain.

They tried to hypnotize him with a cigarette lighter and failed.

"Sorry, my first time hypnotizing a guy." The short man confessed as he put away the lighter.

"This is so troublesome." Another guy said. "Can I just dissect him? I know a bit about alchemy."

"Do it and I will personally burn you alive." I glared at him.

"Hahaha! The cripple is entertaining. Mind if I keep her?" Greed asked Al. Al merely trembled a little.

"The terror is here." He said. No one had any idea of what he was talking about. Then, a large, elaborate set of doors was alchemized (is that a new word?) into the wall. I was torn between being scared out of my wits and excited that I was being rescued as Izumi stepped through the doors, dragging an unconscious guy behind her. She looked furious.

"YOU IDIOTS!WHY THE HELL DID YOU GET YOURSELF KIDNAPPED?!" She yelled furiously at Alphonse as she slung the unconscious guy in his face.

"Sorrrrryyyyyy!" He and I wailed together.

"Don't pretend we're not here!" Yelled one thug.

"Who the hell are you?!" Yelled another.

"I'M A HOUSEWIFE!" She proclaimed loudly. It would've been funny if she wasn't so damn terrifying.

She proceeded to beat the shit out of every single person in the room except for Al, Greed, and I. It was epic to watch her pin the muscular old guy on the ground.

"So you're the one responsible here, huh?" She approached Greed.

"Yeah."

"I'm taking these two knuckleheads home."

"No. It's not open for discussion."

"Is that so?" She punched him in the face. I would've cheered, except his skin grew hard as a rock where she punched it and she looked surprised.

"Your fingers must hurt a lot, huh?" He grinned. He knocked her hand away and she backed off. Her knuckles were bleeding. Greed formed black claws on his hand with the same metal looking stuff.

"Where's Edward?" I exclaimed suddenly. He'd know what was going on.

"He's not back yet." Izumi didn't even look at me. "That's quite the unique body you've got there." She told Greed.

"I'm not interested in fighting with a woman. You can't even scratch me with that kind of weak attack." He gave a smug smirk. I wanted to whack him with my wrench.

My wrench! My wrench was in my back pocket!

I wiggled my hands around, trying to reach it. I managed to grasp it and took comfort in the fact that I had a back up weapon.

"Sensei!" Al was saying. "This person is a homunculus! He has information that could help Brother and I get our bodies back! We have to tell him!"

"Doesn't homunculus mean 'little man'?" I asked.

"Who're you calling little?" Greed gave me a threatening glance.

"So all I've gotta do is beat the secret out of him?" Izumi asked.

"Well, yeah- Wait, Sensei, your injury looks really serious!" Al yelled. The people who had been beat up were starting to get up again.

"Yeah, I don't wanna hit a woman, either." Greed focused his attention back on Izumi. "All I wanna know is how his soul was transmuted."

"Why would you wanna know that?" She asked as she punched a guy who ran up behind her to kill her.

"Gah, enough yapping!" Greed grabbed Al by the head. "I'll teach these guys how to make a homunculus, and this guy's bro will teach me how to transmute a soul! It's a fair trade!" He grinned.

"Don't listen to this shithead!" I yelled. The guy who had gotten punched by Izumi kicked me in the head, making me fall against Al with a clang.

"Greed is not a shithead!" He yelled at me. I blinked rapidly. All this head injury would probably come back and bite me in the butt sooner or later.

"Bring Brother here! He needs to know about this!" Al cried out.

Izumi sighed. "I hate to say this, because alchemists believe in creation, but if anything happens to these two," She glared at Greed threateningly. "I will not hesitate to obliterate everything here." She left.

"Your sensei is amazing." Greed patted Al on the back.

"Uh..thanks?"

. . . . . . . . . .

***I have no idea how to spell that xD**

**Mmkay, so that's that. This chapter took foreeeeveeeer.**

**Partially because I wasn't sure how to write it.**

**Partially because I was reading and folding laundry while writing it.**

**Partially because I'm also writing the chapters to two other fanfics atm.**

**I'm not ashamed to advertise this: Fullmetal Alchemist crossover with Death Note written by yours truly- Truth's Entertainment. There's only one chapter so far, but I'm writing it 'cause I feel like it. xD**

**Until next time!**

**~Rabbit, proud creator of Lynn Grey and Daisy Evenfall (Kuroshitsuji fanfic OC).**


	17. Swords Are REALLY Sharp

**I shall forever bow to the wisdom of the magic eight ball. *kowtows in front of an eight ball on a gleaming pedestal***

**I would never have gotten Grey Metal this far without everyone's reviews and support, especially from the user Dreamer372. Just thought I'd put that out there.**

**Cake is amazing! I wish I had some. *random flailing***

**Lynn is my brainspawn. Do not question the power of my almighty(-ish) brain.**

. . . . . . . . . .

I yawned. "Dublith is too hot." I had just gotten off the train, and I hoped I could grab Al so we could spar. I was feeling pretty bored.

"It's still a wonderful place!" An all too familiar voice laughed. I tripped over my own two feet and went sprawling in the dirt face first. I brushed the dirt off me as I rose and stared incredulously. "Ain't it beautiful, Mr. Fullmetal Alchemist?" The Fuhrer of Amestris gave a hearty laugh as Armstrong came up behind him with his suitcase.

"Wha..? Why...? What the hell?" I finally choked out.

The Fuhrer handed me a watermelon. I noticed his brightly colored, flower print shirt. He still wore his eyepatch (I thought of Lynn's "pirate" comment), and he also wore a straw hat. "Whatever are you talking about? I came to see your sensei! Does she like melons?"

"Were we on the same train?!"

"It is easy to follow a child." Armstrong said while crossing his arms. "This is called the Armstrong family's stalking technique!" He sparkled with a serious expression on his face. He didn't even take his shirt off.

"I can't take this anymore." I groaned in defeat.

"Now, Fullmetal, if you would be so kind as to show us to your sensei's house..." Fuhrer Bradley began. I sighed and led them to the butchery.

"Her name is Izumi Curtis and her husband is Sig Curtis. You don't want to see them mad." I told them.

"I see." The Fuhrer smiled jovially. "And how has your little friend been doing lately?"

"My friend?" I asked confused.

"You know, silver hair, cripple.." He waved his hand. "The name always slips my mind.."

"Lynn Grey." I stiffened at the word "cripple". Calling Lynn a cripple was just as bad as calling Al inhuman or me, heaven forbid, a midget.

"Right, her. How is she doing?"

"She seems to be okay." I lied. I did not like the way the Fuhrer spoke about her for some reason. It was like she wasn't a person.

But that was silly. The Fuhrer would not speak of someone in such a way.

Right?

When we reached the butchery, Bradley was unsuccessful in coaxing information out of Sig. Every time he asked a question, Sig would tell a price for a specific meat.

"Words aren't going to work here. Sir, let me handle this." Armstrong said to Bradley while eying Sig. I wondered if he was going to try and fight him.

I should've known it would be something much weirder.

"Behold the grace of state alchemists!" Armstrong flung his shirt at me and flexed his muscles, sparkling. "Burn this awesome sight into your eyes!" There was a brief pause. Then, Sig ripped off his shirt and flexed his muscles. They clasped hands warmly. I forced down a groan and went back to see Sensei.

"Al and Lynn were WHAT?!" I exclaimed after a few minutes of some brief explaining. "Kidnapped.. How the hell is that even possible?!"

"It's complicated." Sensei explained about what they wanted, which was for me to tell them about soul binding, and that the man, Greed, had an ourobourous tattoo on his left hand. I remembered the two at the laboratory who had the same tattoo. They were called Homunculi (plural. Homunculus is singular), and were definitely not human.

"Well, if that's why they want Al, then what's Lynn there for?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. Could it have something to do with-?" She began, but I cut her off because the Fuhrer was in the room.

"I'm going to go get them." I interrupted while staring down at Sensei's bandaged hand. The bloody bastard would pay for kidnapping my brother and Lynn and hurting Sensei. She looked she was going to object. "It's okay!" I exclaimed quickly, putting up a false cheery attitude. "It's not like I'll get killed or anything!" I smiled falsely. Sensei paused, then sighed.

"Be back before dinner."

"Yes, ma'am!" Sensei drew me a quick map to the place and I left. Once I was outside, my false cheeriness vanished to be replaced by a furious anger. I crushed the paper. I walked to the Devil's Nest, so angry that I barely noticed the people around me.

Devil's Nest, huh? What a joke. I was the devil here, and those bloody bastards would pay. I'd burn them alive for what they'd done. If Al and Lynn were hurt- Let's just say there'd be he'll to pay.

. . . . . . . . . .

"You're Greed, huh?" I heard Edward say. I snapped awake From my nap. I looked around for him, and then I almost cheered. I had broken through the ropes with my wrench much earlier (sawing through a rope with a wrench is not something I'd recommend doing on a daily basis), but I knew I wouldn't be able to free Al fast enough. Greed would pound me into the dirt, so I waited for Edward to come. And now he was here.

Edward started yelling at Greed when Greed offered to do the information trade. "DON'T TALK SHIT WITH ME! YOU BASTARDS, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, HUH?! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION HERE?!" He looked seriously pissed off. I almost shouted with glee. "I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT THE HOMUNCULI ARE PLANNING RIGHT NOW. YOU KIDNAPPED MY BROTHER AND LYNN!" What was I to him? A friend? A crush? A sibling-figure? A rock? I may never know... "AND YOU STILL GOT THE GUTS TO DEMAND AN EQUAL TRADE?!"

"'Have the guts', Ed." I corrected absentmindedly.

"SHUT UP!" He pointed a finger at me, then turned back to Greed. "INFORMATION REGARDING THE SOUL?! I'LL TELL YOU WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER! VILLAINS LIKE YOU WILL BE CRUSHED! BEATEN! LOOTED! I'LL BEAT THE SECRETS OUT OF YOU, DAMNIT!" He would've continued, but I could see a couple people getting pissed off (not Greed, but his lackeys) so I interrupted.

"Amen to that!" I grinned, applauding.

"How the hell did you get loose?!" Greed stared. I swore, remembering that I wasn't supposed to clap. I took the opportunity to throw the wrench at the guy who was creeping up on Ed with a sword. My aim was getting better; it got him right in the head.

"GAH!" The guy yelled as he stumbled back.

"Who's next?" Ed tossed my wrench back to me and transformed part of his automail arm into a blade. I caught the wrench (seemingly) with ease (it was actually pretty hard to time it right) and prepared to fight some more.

"Roa, take armor boy away. We'll dissect and analyze him. Tend to Dorchette as well." My blood ran cold as Greed signaled Roa (thickly built grey haired guy) and he grabbed Al. Dorchette must've been the guy I hit with my wrench, because Roa grabbed him, too.

"What about the cripple?" He asked.

"Leave her. She'll be of no use at the moment."

"Mm." He grunted and took off running.

"Like I'll let you do that!" Ed lunged. So did I, though I was slower and more off balance. Greed blocked him with his arm, which got that weird, rock-like covering again. The two fought while my mind raced.

"Equivalent exchange... so he's using something to make the substance...the air around him? No, air can't solidify like that... Think, you useless bitch, what is the body majorly made up of that can harden? Iron? No, there's little of that in the blood... Carbon? Carbon can be used to write with, I think... In Liore, Ed said something about 25 kilograms of carbon in the human body. That's a lot, right?" I muttered to myself. Edward was getting thrashed, so I intervened. "Edward!" I yelled as Greed covered himself in the black substance. "Maybe iron or carbon!" He looked at Greed and gave me a quick nod, comprehension dawning on his face. He clapped his hands and put them to Greed's arm, then punched it. Nothing happened. He gave me a look as he was flung into some boxes.

"Not iron!" He yelled.

"What are you going on about?!" Greed growled as he grabbed Edward by the head.

"Carbon, then!" I called, getting ready to throw my wrench. Ed clapped his hands and put them to Greed's arm again, then punched it. The effect was much different this time. The black stuff and skin was blown off, revealing the muscle I had scene so often in science class. It was gross, to put it gently. He regrew the skin and carbon, then started fighting Ed again. Ed figured out that Greed can't repair himself and create more carbon mcjigger at the same time.

The battle would've been cool to watch if I wasn't so scared that my friend could DIE.

"We found the kid!" Military men burst in the room and started firing. One bullet hit my leg but it ricocheted off of my leg brace, thank goodness. "Watch where the hell you're firing!" I yelled angrily.

"Time to make a quick getaway!" Greed took advantage of the confusion. "Come on, hostage!" He grabbed me, slung me over his shoulder, and jumped up through the air duct in the ceiling.

"Lynn!" I heard Edward yell. "Let me go, damnit!" I heard him struggling with the military officers, but all sounds of Edward faded like my hope of surviving as Greed ran down the air duct.

"Why the hell-?!" I started to ask.

"You could be a hostage. Also, I want to know about world jumping." Greed explained. His carbon armor slowly receded. He carried me through the air duct, down a lot of stairs, and into the sewers.

"Damnit, be obedient!" I heard a woman's voice growl from somewhere up ahead.

"No!" Alphonse replied.

"Al! Al, is that you?!" I yelled. Thank goodness he was okay. Why was he alone with some woman? I thought Roa had him and Dorchette or whatever the heck his name was...

"Lynn!" Al cried joyfully as we came around the corner. Greed put me down, but gave me a look saying "You move, you die", so I didn't try to run. Not that I could get very far anyway.

"It was getting dangerous so Roa and Dorchette stayed and fought while I ran with the armor, but he's being resistant." A woman's head poked out of Al's armor. That was pretty creepy. "We should plan our escape."

"I cannot allow that." A voice said as a figure walked out of the darkness. He had swords strapped to his back and two more in his hands.

"It's the pirate king!" I yelled impulsively.

"Fuhrer Bradley." Alphonse corrected me. I heard the smile in his voice. You know how you can kind of hear when someone is happy? It's a fun thing to hear.

"What's the most powerful human in Amestris doing down here in the sewers?" Greed asked. He sounded bored, but I saw the tips of his fingers start carbonizing.

"How old are you?" The Fuhrer suddenly asked Greed. Greed got that "what the hell are you talking about" look on his face. "I'm turning sixty this year." The Fuhrer continued. "My body doesn't move as well as it did when it was younger. I want to get this over with so I can go home."

"Why don't you retire then, old man?" Greed grinned and lunged for the Fuhrer with his carbon-coated arm. The Fuhrer cut his arm off where it hadn't been carbonated yet. "Woah." Greed backed up, trying to heal his arm, but the Fuhrer was really fast. That sword must have been pretty damn sharp to cut off his whole arm. He lunged away and grabbed me, probably to use me as a shield. The Fuhrer kicked him into a wall, making it break. Brick walls hurt, ya know?

"Hey, you wouldn't hurt and innocent, huh?" Greed grabs me and puts me in front of his lying down form, confirming my human shield suspicions. "Mr. President.."

"You underestimate me." Bradley lunged, swinging his sword.

There was lots of blood.

. . . . . . . . . .

"I hear screaming!" I exclaimed. After Greed, Lynn, and the Fuhrer disappeared behind the wall, there had been nonstop fighting. I had been growing worried.

"A girl's scream." Martel confirmed.

"Lynn." I whispered, horrified.

"Oi, Martel, you doing alright?" Roa and Dorchette came walking around the corner, bleeding a lot.

"Dorchette? Roa? You two are hurt!" Martel pushed my head up and poked her head out to see her friends. We heard a choked cry of rage from Greed, and Dorchette glanced in that direction. "Greed is fighting Fuhrer Bradley, and-"

"Armor guy, keep Martel safe, mmkay?" Dorchette sliced my chains with his sword. I pushed the helmet down, trapping Martel inside. "Damn, my loyalty to my master is gonna get me in trouble."

"You could always turn tail and run." Roa glanced at him.

"And leave a big, clumsy ox here alone? Forget it." He grinned, and he and Roa readied themselves, stepping through the hole in the wall to fight Bradley.

"Roa! Dorchette!" Martel started pushing up on my helmet, but I clamped my hands down on it. "I don't have time to fight with you, damnit! Let me out!"

"No! They're counting on me to keep you safe!" I yelled, keeping my grip on the helmet firm.

"You just want me to sit here and let my friends die?!" She raged, banging on my armor with her fists. "OPEN UP!" The sounds of fighting were getting bad.

"No!" I yelled.

"Open up... please, I'm begging you.." Her voice went lower and she trembled. Her pounds on my armor became weaker.

"No.." I said quietly. She stopped protesting, but she trembled more, like she was trying to hold in sobs. The Fuhrer came out of the hole in the wall a few moments later. I started moving to get away, but he spoke reassuringly.

"It's okay. You're Edward's brother, right? Are you hurt?" He smiled gently.

"Yeah. I can go home by myself, so.." I trailed off. I had to get Martel away. Suddenly, I felt Martel's arm snake inside mine. My hand grabbed Bradley's throat. "No, stop!" I cried out.

"BRADLEY!" Martel yelled. I heard her quiet tears and her loud rage as she tried to strangle the Fuhrer, and there was nothing I could do.

Suddenly, Bradley shoved his sword down my neck and stabbed Martel. I felt the blood splash against my seal, and then blackness came on me.

I remembered the transmutation. I remembered Truth, and almost grabbing Mother's hand. I remembered my body disintegrating as I yelled for help. I saw the Ultimate Truth.

I awoke with Brother knocking on my head. Armstrong sat next to him with bandages on his face.

"Al! Al, answer me!" He was yelling.

"Brother...?" I asked. There was blood everywhere, and my chest plate was gone. "I couldn't save her, could I?" I covered my face with my hands as the realization dawned on me.

"Sorry." Armstrong said sympathetically.

"It's not your fault, Al. Come on, let's get you back to Sensei." Brother went for a smile.

"Before you do, I have something I'd like to ask you two." Fuhrer Bradley came up. Seeing him reminded me.

"Lynn!" I panicked. "I heard Lynn screaming!"

"Al.." Brother looked sad and angry.

"Did you make any deals with the man with the tattoo? Did you learn anything?" Fuhrer Bradley interrupted.

"No, and nothing that could be beneficial to the military." Brother said, standing up and stretching, a grim look on his face.

"This has nothing to do with the military, Edward. Depending on the answer, we may have to execute you." The Fuhrer said. A few military men pointed guns at Brother and I.

"I made no deals." Brother stood by his earlier statement.

"I see." The Fuhrer said finally, and the men lowered their guns. "One more question. Does your metal arm and leg have anything to do with your little brother's body?"

The expression on Brother's face was enough of an answer. Bradley chuckled at Brother's honesty and left.

"Brother..." I turned to him, but he only told me that Sensei would worry if we stayed any longer.

On the way back, I was afraid to ask about Lynn, so I said nothing. No one brought it up at dinner, though Sensei kept giving us worrying looks. It was only while Brother was finishing cleaning up my armor outside when I managed to ask.

"Brother?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Lynn?"

Brother stiffened, and sighed, clenching his fist. "She's gone missing, Al."

"Missing?! But, she was with Greed, and-"

"The Fuhrer said that it was only after he had taken care of Greed that he realized she was gone. He said he'd organize a search party." He ran his hands through his hair.

"So I was right, huh?" Sensei said. I hadn't even noticed she had been standing behind me. "She shouldn't have ever been here. She got herself in over her head."

"It was her choice." I said noticing Brother's growing frustration.

"But we could've made her leave! We could've found a way to keep her out of our lives!" He glared at the ground. "Instead we kept her around, even knowing she could get hurt."

"There's nothing that would've stopped her from helping us." I said gently, realizing it was probably true. "She's very stubborn. Her mother hated her and her adopted grandmother is dead, plus we don't even know how to send her back to her world, even if she had someone to return to." I paused. "We're all she's got left."

"This deal with the military... this isn't making sense." Sensei said from behind me. "According to your president, if I've heard correctly, the homunculus people have something to do with unease in the military, so he wants them caught."

"Yeah." Brother said, catching on. "Why was it necessary to slaughter them all? He could've captured them and then interrogated them until they spat out the location of their hideout and what their motives are."

"Right." I said. "It was weird, too, that the Fuhrer came down himself, when he had so many men." I pondered. "Then there was the whole thing about Lynn disappearing..."

"Yeah, it's not making sense." Brother muttered. "But I'll stick with the military for now." He spoke louder.

"They could help us find Lynn, and we could find some more clues on the Philosopher's Stone!" I tried to sound cheery, but inside, I was upset.

Lynn, where could you have gone?

. . . . . . . . . .

**Decided to make this chapter short today.**

**Things could be taking a darker turn, so be warned.**

**Until next we meet. *puts platter of cake down and a pile of various utensils***

**~Rabbit**


	18. My Hope Is Like My Legs

**Ed and Al are still in Dublith.**

. . . . . . . . . .

It's dark. I want to go home.

To Ed? To Al? To Winry? To Grams? I'm not so sure.

Time is cruel here. Stretching out endlessly...

He always ask me questions when they take me to Him. They, his group, sometimes like the answers, and sometimes they don't. The most recent question is repeated over and over and over...

I don't know, I tell them. I don't remember. But they never believe me, so when I'm back in my space, someone- is it Mother?- comes, does their work, and then I'm alone.

I used to resist. I knew this place wasn't safe, and I was determined to get out.

Now my hope is like my legs.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Do they have any leads, Brother?" I asked eagerly.

"They claim that they've got nothing so far." He slammed the door loudly. It had been a few days since Lynn's disappearance, and Sensei had allowed us to prolong our stay for a bit in case Lynn was found. Brother still needed his arm fixed, but he said it could wait. I knew that what he really meant was, "I don't want Winry to know that Lynn is gone."

"Maybe she'll turn up?" I said hopefully. It was phrased like a question. Brother heard my false cheeriness and gave me a wan smile.

"She'll come back." He looked at the ground and I almost didn't catch the next part: "She has to come back."

. . . . . . . . . .

I think they've finally accepted the truth. No one has come to hurt me for what feels like a day.

That means that there's no food, either, but it's tolerable as long as I can be left alone.

I overheard a conversation the other day. They said that I had no useful information whatsoever. I was pleased. Then they said they might as well kill me.

The sad part is that I didn't even know if that would be bad. I'm practically useless, so who would need me, anyway?

. . . . . . . . . .

"Edward, you need to eat something." Sensei stood outside my door.

"This is the longest she's been gone." I muttered to Al, who sat next to me.

"Open up." Sensei said impatiently.

I didn't answer. Neither did Al.

But Sensei had had enough.

"Edward! Alphonse!" She knocked down the door with a swift kick. "What the hell are you doing?!" She grabbed me by the front of my shirt and hoisted me in the air. I stared up at her with dull eyes. She looked livid.

"I don't know." I said blankly.

"LYNN WOULD NOT WANT YOU JUST SITTING AROUND LIKE YOU'RE DEAD!" Sensei screamed in my face, and my fragil calm was gone. My expression twisted in grief.

"I don't know what to do!" I choked out, holding back the tears. "She was here, and I took her for granted, like I've always done, and now she's gone, just like everything! Just like Mom!" I stared at the ground, my fists clenching.

"Not like Mom." Al stood suddenly. "There's no hope for Mom now, but Lynn could still be out there somewhere." His fists clenched, too.

"Go look for her." Sensei dropped me and I fell back on my arse. "Get going!" She pointed towards the door, and I scrambled to my feet. Al and I headed for the door. Just as we got going, Al poked his head back in.

"'Does not want', Sensei." He said.

"Huh?"

"Earlier, you said Lynn _would _not want us to sit around. What you meant was, Lynn _does _not want us to sit around."

She smiled, turning away from us. "Of course. Now, scram!"

. . . . . . . . . .

It is only one person who visits me now. They never make me go to see Him anymore. I do not know what He looks like because they blindfold me, but He is terrifying.

One comes back to hurt me sometimes. I think the person enjoys hearing me scream, hearing me tell for them to stop, that I'll be good, I promise.

Sometimes I think they're Mother, so I yell for Mother to stop.

Like Mother, they have no mercy.

Unlike Mother, they do not hurt my legs.

I bet they would if they could. But they can't, because my legs were gone with my hope.

. . . . . . . . . .

"It's the knight!" I heard a cry from behind me. Brother and I had gone on a walk to find Lynn. No results had come so far, then the boy was there. Hearing "knight" made me think of Lynn.

"Who're you?" Brother asked. That's right, he never met the little boy.

"Ronnie." He said to Brother, then he turned to me. "Did you rescue her?"

"We're still looking." I said quietly.

"This is all my fault!" The boy started to cry. "My fault, my fault, my fault.."

"What's he talking about?" Brother looked stricken. I knelt down next to the little boy, Ronnie.

"This is NOT your fault." I put a hand on his shoulder. "The scary man took your friend, right?" I pointed to the puppy running around us in circles. "You did what you could to help him. That's all."

"Really?"

"Really."

Brother's stomach growled. The boy noticed and wiped his eyes. "She dropped a bag of mini cakes when the man took her back then. They were ruined, but I know what kind they were. We can go buy some." He pulled out his pocket change.

"It's alright, you don't have to do tha-" Brother began.

"Yes I do! You're hungry, and those mini cakes were probably for you guys in the first place." He grabbed my hand and whistled for his puppy. "You come on!" He said to Brother, who just looked really confused.

He took us to a little bakery and bought us each a mini cake. I made a big show of "eating" it, because it was really important to the kid. Brother ate his with gusto.

"Do you have any plans to find her?" Ronnie asked with adorable little-boy seriousness.

Brother and I glanced at each other and realized that neither of our genius minds had a plan. Ronnie sighed.

"Try retracing your steps. Mommy tells me that whenever I lose something, I should retrace my steps and find where I put it." He wiped his mouth with a napkin. I thought I saw a glimmer of hope in Brother's eyes and I stood.

"Thanks for your help, Ronnie. I feel much better." I felt better, truly. I imagined Lynn's big hug that she'd give us when we found her. Brother stood, too, and we bade the boy good bye.

. . . . . . . . . .

You're in luck, it said. We're done with you. You have told us what you know, and now we're done, it says with a smile. I feel a hope flutter in my chest.

But, it says, and I feel my hope crumbling, You must never tell anyone, or we'll be back, and we will obliterate everything you hold dear. Understand? The thing watches me. The voice seems familiar for some reason, but I nod quickly, ready to escape this nightmare.

They drag me out and put a blindfold on me. I feel so weak. I cannot see the faces of my captors. I never could because of the blindfolds and the darkness of my cell.

Have fun swimming! One yells with a laugh. I am confused until I find myself being thrown into cold, filthy water. I splutter and reach to take the blindfold off.

They're gone.

I see blood in the water and realize it's my blood, but I don't care. They're gone. I'm alone. It's okay now.

Relief floods me and I fall into unconsciousness.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Alright, so here's the Devil's Nest." We walked up to the abandoned place. No one lingered long after the military invaded, mowing down everyone in sight with their guns. I only know this because they didn't bother to clean up, and the bodies were everywhere.

"Gee, this place gives me the creeps." I muttered. Al gave me an amused look. I shot him a glare and started looking around the place. "Lynn? You here? Lynn?" I felt really stupid just calling her name like that, but I could crush my pride for her.

What was she to me, anyway? A friend? A sibling sort of person? She was an easy target for venting anger, and it was not a horrible feeling to yell at her sometimes.

"Lynn!" I called out again. "Lynn Grey!"

"Brother?" Al asked.

"What?"

"Can we check the sewers? It's where she disappeared, after all..." Al trailed off.

"Of course we can!" I clapped him on the back with my automail hand trying to sound cheerful. "Let's go, Al!" We hurried down some steps and found an entrance to the sewers. We walked around for a bit on the concrete walkways. We tried calling Lynn's name over and over again, but there was never an answer.

"Brother, what if we never find her?" Al said in a small, heartbroken voice. I knew I had to be strong.

"We'll find her. Focus on 'now' instead of 'what if', and everything will be just fine." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, even knowing he wouldn't notice unless he looked down. "'Kay?"

"'Kay." He whispered. I gave him a sad smile. We kept walking and calling out for her, our hope flickering like a candle flame in the wind.

"Brother, we should go home for today. You need your sleep." Al said later. I was about to answer when something caught my eye.

Silver-grey.

I ran towards the thing, splashing through water and muck, ignoring Al's confused yelling.

It was Lynn. She was lying in the water with blood surrounding her, but the rise and fall of her chest said that she was alive. I almost cried for joy.

"Al! Help me out!" I yelled as Al came splashing through the water to me. He gasped when he saw Lynn.

"There's so much blood in the water! Is she okay?!" He helped me start pulling her back to the concrete. She seemed lighter than usual. Malnourishment? It had only been a few days...

We pulled her up on the concrete, staring at each other gleefully. She was alive! But then, we looked down at her, and _saw_.

Her legs had been chopped off from the mid-thigh down. They were completely gone. Blood was flowing from the wound, but it appeared to be healing.

I gasped, feeling sick. I fell to my knees. Al's fists clenched. He did not say a word. We glanced over the rest of her body to find lots of bleeding whip markings and purple and yellow bruises all over her. She was barely breathing now, like her body was slowly giving up on survival. I snapped put of my stupor immediately.

"Al! We have to get her to Sensei or a doctor! Help me here." I took off my red coat and clapped my hands, transmuting the fabric into a passable bandage material. I could make a new coat later. I gently wrapped the bandages around the bleeding stumps Lynn was now cursed with. Al picked her up and cradled her in his arms like a baby. I felt her forehead with my human hand. She was burning up.

We hurried out of the sewers. Lynn had said nothing at all since we found her; she didn't make any sounds at all. Al and I shared a look of concern as we dashed up the many steps to the surface world. We avoided people as much as we could on our way to Sensei's house.

"Sensei!" I yelled desperately as I kicked down the door. She ran to us and gasped when she saw Lynn.

"What the-?!"

"No time, she needs medical attention!" I yelled as Al lay her on the couch. Sig was already making a call for a doctor. We lay her limp body on the couch and waited for the doctor to arrive. It was probably only five minutes, but every second he wasn't there felt like an hour.

. . . . . . . . . .

It's still dark. Am I back in the cell?

No, I am not. I was in the water, but I'm dry now, so I must be in a new place.

Is that...voices? Do I hear voices?

. . . . . . . . . .

"Lynn!" I ran to her side as soon as the doctor let us see her. "Lynn, can you hear me?!" I grabbed her feverishly warm hand with my own human one. I wanted to feel her pulse.

"Lynn, please wake up." Al begged in a pitifully small voice, like he would cry if he could. "Please?"

There was a deafening silence.

At first.

Then-

"Al? Ed? Is...is that y-you?" It was an almost silent whisper, but it was enough. I choked back a relieved sob.

"Yeah. We're here." I squeezed her hand reassuringly. Her eyes hadn't opened yet.

"S-safe? Are you...safe?"

"Idiot, you're worrying about us at a time like this? Think of yourself for once!" I scolded.

"We're safe. You're safe, too, Lynn. No one can hurt you now." Al took her other hand. She slowly opened her eyes.

"My hope was gone." She muttered, staring at something beyond us. I turned, but there was nothing there. "Hope is back, but my legs- my legs-" A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye.

"It'll be okay. Get some rest, it'll be morning soon." I released her hand gently.

"But when I wake up, I'll realize that it was all a dream, and I'll be in the dark again-" Her voice became panicky as she struggled to rise. I pushed her back down gently.

"We'll stay here. It's not a dream. It's real."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

. . . . . . . . . .

**Heartwrencher. *brief sob***

**I couldn't bring myself to give you a cliffhanger this chapter. I felt it would be too cruel.**

**What will happen now, hmm? I'll write and post chapter nineteen ASAP!**

**~Rabbit**


	19. Ninjas Are Violent

**Hello, all! Chapter nineteen is here!**

**The only thing I own is Lynn. That's it.**

. . . . . . . . . .

I yawned. We had stayed in Dublith an extra day or two so that Lynn could get some rest. The doctor gave her meds for the fever, meds to help prevent infections, and he stitched her up a bit. She was taking plenty of meds and sleeping a lot, so she said that we should go to Rush Valley by today. I bought train tickets, but we had one problem.

Neither Al nor I knew how a wheelchair worked, and we had to transmute one so Lynn could be transported around. She was sleeping at the moment, so we didn't want to wake her and ask her.

"Okay, so the basic concept is a chair on wheels, right?" I started drawing what I thought was a wheelchair in the dirt. Al took the stick from me and made the wheels bigger.

"She has to be able to use the wheels to get around." He explained. I took the stick back and added handles on the back of the chair. Al and I argued over the design for a few minutes when Lynn came outside with Sensei.

In a wheelchair.

"Izumi let me borrow one of her wheelchairs." She explained. I stomped the design out of existence, annoyed, while Izumi snickered. "Is something wrong, Edward?" Lynn asked. Al told her everything was fine, so we got ready to go.

I wore my red jacked, black shirt and pants, white gloves, black sneakers, and my hair in a braid. Lynn had her hair down and wore the black dress and choker that she wore when she met up with us at the train station before. She looked haunted. Al, of course, was a suit of armor.

Lynn had eventually (after a lot of coaxing) told us a bit of what happened to her. She said she had been kidnapped and kept in a dark room, and when they took her out she would be asked questions by a man with a deep voice. She never saw any of their faces. Lynn also mentioned that they sometimes didn't like the answers she gave, and they'd punish her, but that was that. She said no more on the subject. When asked about her legs, she merely said that it happened while the Fuhrer fought with Greed. I said that we should alert the Fuhrer that Lynn had been found (his search parties could stop looking), but Lynn strongly objected. She said only that I was to be careful around the Fuhrer.

I had questions, of course, but she went to bed after that so I didn't press her for more information.

Once we were on the train, all was peaceful and quiet. It wasn't going to be a long ride. Lynn seemed fretful and wrung her hands nervously. I hoped she was okay.

"Hey, Lynn, know any more card games?" I asked her casually, hoping to distract her. She paused in her hand-wringing and looked thoughtful.

"No, but I'll tell you a poem from a book I read once, if you like. Then we'll analyze it to pass the time, Mr. Scientist." She smiled a little.

"Okay." I felt better. My distraction plan worked!

"'Who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low? Only a cat in a different coat, that's all the truth I know. In a coat of red or a coat of gold, a lion still has claws, and mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours. And so he spoke, and so he spoke, that lord of Castamere, but now the rains weep o'er his hall with no one there to hear. Yes now the rains weep o'er his hall with not a soul to hear.'" She concluded. The poem sent shivers down my spine. "Now we analyze."

All three of us went on to talk about the symbolism of the lion, the symbolism of the rain, the tone of the poem, and other things like that.

We were still debating when the train pulled into the station.

"It is physically impossible for it to rain _inside a hall_!" I insisted.

"What if the roof was gone? Then it could rain." Lynn countered.

"I think the rain symbolizes the sadness that the lord was defeated and there's no one left." Al said thoughtfully. Lynn beamed.

"You have a knack for this, Allie! Good job!" She grabbed his hand and raised it as high as she could while sitting down. "AL IS THE POETRY KING!" She proclaimed loudly, making everyone give us weird looks. They turned to pitying looks when they saw Lynn was in a wheelchair, and Lynn noticed, her smile faltering. I scowled at everybody. So what if she was in a wheelchair?

"Let's go see Winry now!" Alphonse said brightly, letting me know through his eyes that he knew what I was thinking. Lynn looked happy again, and I gave my little brother a thumbs up.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Hey, Winry! Nice to see your business is prospering!" Edward called over to Winry nervously. I watched as she stepped away from a customer.

"Al, Ed, Lynn! You guys never keep in touch. What are you doing out here? Lynn, did you lose your leg braces again?" She smiled. I grinned and gave her a wave, anticipating (with glee) what was coming next. Sure enough, Edward raised his battered automail arm and Winry turned into a demon.

A few minutes later, Edward was a pulp on the ground and a tan girl with brown hair hopped through a window to say hello.

"Ed, Al! Good to see ya!" The girl grinned. "Ah? Who're you?" She peeked over at me, then a look of recognition dawned on her face as she saw my wheelchair-bound state. "Oooohhhhh, you must be Lynn! Winry told me a bit about you! Nice to meetcha, I'm Bunny*!" She shook my hand and I beamed. She had two automail legs!

"I was told a bit about you as well." I smiled.

"Lynnie, lemme show you my legs! Come see, come see!" She pushed my wheelchair out into the hallway where she proceeded to roll up her pants and show me her amazing metal legs.

"They're perfect." I breathed in awe.

"Bunny, did you stop being a pickpocket?" Al walked over to us. Bunny nodded and told us that Tommy was accepting payment for her legs now. I smiled and watched her swing her legs back and forth. I was filled with jealousy (which I desperately tried to squash). After Winry finished checking up on Edward, I heard them say something that made my blood run cold.

"We're going to Central next." Edward was saying.

"Can I come? I want to see Mr. Hughes!" I could almost hear her smile.

"Sure, why not?" Ed said. "It'll be good to visit him again."

"Lynn? Are you okay? You look a little pale. Are you in pain?" Alphonse touched my shoulder gently. I snapped out of my panic and desperately tried to put on a happy face.

"I'm alright, thank you, Alphonse." I gave him a weak smile. I don't think he bought it, but Winry kicked us out so she could go order some automail parts, so we just had to go on with life and ignore my horrible lying skills. I regretted not being able to ask her how the legs were going, but we were going to go have some fun in town, so it would be alright for a while.

"You seem to be having fun, Al." Edward noticed Al was acting perfectly fine. Ed was pissed off about something or another, and I was locked in my own inner struggle.

"People here think I have full body automail! I don't have to worry about the secret!" Al said cheerfully. He waved to a couple of tourists.

Ed, however, hated the place. "All kinds of crazy people come after me 'cause of my automail." He scowled while shoving a crazy short guy away.

I would've said something, but I was distracted with a corpse in an alley. I wheeled over as quickly as I could and poked the guy with a stick to discover that he was still alive. He groaned. His hair was long and black in a ponytail, and he was wearing Asian-like clothing (kill me for "racism" if you like, but think oriental stuff, mmkay?). "Hey, help me out here!" I called to Ed and Al. They ran over quickly.

"What is it?" Al asked.

"A stray wanderer fellow." I pointed. Al moved to pick him up.

"Leave him." Ed said calmly.

"That's inhuman!" Al and I both yelled. We convinced Ed to help us drag him to a restaurant. The foreigner gorged himself on all kinds of foods when he woke up.

"Thank yooooouuu! You really saved me there!" He chuckled and smiled.

"We're not treating you." Edward said bluntly.

"Aha, don't mind such a small thing!" He insisted, probably wanting us to pay the bill.

"DON'T SAY SMALL." Edward restrained himself from obliterating the guy.

"It's so nice to be treated nicely in a different country!" He grinned.

"Another country? Edward, you never told me there were other countries here!" I shot Ed an injured look. The foreigner looked at me like I was insane.

"Sorry, it slipped my mind. Don't you have other countries?" Ed glanced at me blandly.

"Plenty! But I never knew that there were other countries here." I pouted. "So, what country are you from?" I redirected my attention towards the foreigner.

"Xing. The desert crossing was rough, and I had to switch between horses and camels and such, but the ruins of Xerxes were fun to see." He drew a little diagram in the dirt.

"Xerxes?" I asked curiously.

"The city that fell in one night. Rumor has it that there's practically nothing there now." Ed said. He sounded bored. "You a tourist, foreigner?"

"I'm researching this country's Rentanjutsu." He smiled.

"Uh..." I stared.

"Oh, that's right, this country calls it Renkinjutsu." He explained. I gave him another blank look.

"Alchemy." Ed whispered.

"It's used primarily for medical purposes in Xing." The man continued.

"Here the primary use is military-related." Edward started drawing pictures in the dirt. I wheeled over to get a closer look. "This here is Amestris. Right now we're having nonstop border battles with Aerugo in the south," A circle was drawn bubbling downward off of Amestris. "And Creta in the west." Another circle was drawn bubbling to the left off of Amestris. "Then there's Drachma in the north," A circle was drawn north of some mountains. "Which has a no-trespassing treaty with us. Things could get bad if the mountains of Briggs weren't separating us. The alchemy of this country became so military-focused after Bradley became fuhrer." Edward sighed. I paled at the mention of that scary bastard. Nobody but the foreigner noticed, though he didn't bring it up.

"Will you tell us about your country's alchemy?" Alphonse asked. "I'm Alphonse Elric and this is my older brother Edward. Brother is a state alchemist."

"I'm Ling Yao!" The trio shook hands. I cleared my throat and shot Al a look.

"Oh, right, this is our friend Lynn Grey." Al said apologetically. I smiled sweetly and shook Ling's hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"Teach us alchemy!" Edward blurted excitedly.

"Sorry, can't, I'm not an alchemist." He dropped the bombshell bluntly. I almost laughed when Ed fell out of his chair.

"Then why the hell are you in Amestris?! What are you searching for?!" Edward asked astonished.

"Maybe you've heard of it. I believe it can help me find the secret to immortality... The Philosopher's Stone." Ling Yao smiled, but it was a wicked, conniving, secretive, and pained smile. It was confusing, and I definitely did not like it. "I want it rather badly. Help a friend out?" There was menace in his voice. Ed recovered from his shock faster than Al and I did, so he took it upon himself to assume an uninterested role.

"Sorry, never heard of it." Edward stood to leave. Al followed suit.

"Ah ah ah, not so fast." Ling snapped his fingers. My wheelchair was toppled with a kick and I fell. I resisted a scream as my stumps hit the ground. Two ninjas held Ed and Al at sword and knife point. Both wore masks, but it was easy to tell that one was an old guy cause of the grey mustache and spiky grey hair. "It seems like you know something. Won't you tell it all?"

"Ed! Al!" I cried out nervously. Al wasn't in that much danger unless the sword smashed his seal, but Edward's neck was very vulnerable to sharp pointy things!

"You bastard!" Ed snarled at the guy with the sword pointed at where Al's heart would be. "How dare you just kick over her wheelchair?! You sick, immortality seeking shitheads!"

"The whole 'immortality' thing seems to be a new trend, Brother." Al commented.

"Why don't you guys just die?!" Edward swung his fist at his assailant. Al tried to scold him for fighting, but then the oldie attacked him, too. I pulled my gun out and fired a single shot in the air, making everybody look at me.

"Quit attacking Ed and Al or I'll shoot Ling Yao!" I pointed the gun up at him.

"Lynn, behind you!" Al yelled, and I dragged myself to the right to avoid being impaled by a sword. It was oldie.

"It's alright, Lynn, don't worry, these guys are weaker than Sensei! Order a dessert and watch the show!" Edward did a flying kick at the elderly ninja who almost killed me. I paused, but then sighed as Ed and Al started fighting the ninjas. I lowered the gun from Ling Yao's direction, though I kept it cocked in case one of the ninjas started winning. Ling let out a relieved sigh.

"Phew, almost thought I was gonna get shot!" He wiped a drop or two of sweat off his forehead. He knelt down and helped me back into my wheelchair. "Sorry about Fu. He was just trying to keep me safe, ya know?"

I hailed a gaping waiter. "Will you bring me some cake?" I sighed as the fighting people dashed off in their fighting glory. The waiter nodded. I seriously needed a nap or something.

"Make that two." Ling pushed some plates away to make room for the incoming cake. I put my head in my hands. My legs still hurt.

"Lynn!" Winry ran up to me cheerfully. "I wanted to get a chance to talk to you abou- Who's this?" She skidded to a halt at the sight of Ling watching the waiter like a hawk as the waiter brought our cake out.

"Ling Yao. He's from Xing. His ninjas are fighting Ed and Al right now." I gestured towards Ling and took a bite of my delicious cake.

"What?! Call them off, Ling Yao!" Winry panicked.

"Ed and Al said for us to watch the show, 'cause the ninjas are weaker Izumi Curtis, their sensei." I took another bite of cake. "Here, I'll order you a slice."

Winry facepalmed and pulled up a chair. She ordered a slice of cake and a cup of coffee from the nearest waiter. "They're hopeless. Always going off and fighting every damn person they meet." She sighed, then went demon-mode. "If Edward trashes that arm, he's so dead." She raged. I chuckled.

"What's your name, Miss?" Ling smiled in a I'm-sexy-look-at-me way.

"Winry Rockbell. Nice to meet you, Ling." She shook his hand. "Lynn, do you need me to make another set of leg braces?" She became concerned. "Al said that the last time you vanished you were stuffed in a closet and almost killed. Is that true? Did that happen this time?" She gripped my hand and watched my face.

I decided to dodge all those questions. I don't like the idea of lying to Winry. "Winry, I think _it _needs to be put into motion sooner than we had previously thought, if that's okay." I avoided her eyes.

There was a pause. I imagined she was surprised. "I can go get a surgeon." She made a move to stand, but I stopped her.

"No need. There was an- ah, accident." I half-lied. I was right, lying to Winry was not fun. I didn't know how to look, so I settled for a twisted up frown disguised as a smile. Winry looked horrified as I lifted my skirt to reveal that all I had was a bit of my thigh.

"Accident, huh?" Long watched thoughtfully. It took me a moment to realize that he had gotten up and stood behind us, listening the entire time. I blushed and put my skirt down. I wondered if he had caught on to the lie. Luckily for me, he didn't do anything about it if he had realized. "What is 'it'?" He asked. I stiffened.

"None of your business, thank you very much." I replied with no expression whatsoever on my face.

Suddenly, there were TWO EXPLOSIONS. Ling and Winry started running to the site. I tried wheeling over there as fast as I could. When we got there, I couldn't get as close as anyone else could because of all the debris on the ground, so I couldn't hear what was being said. The two (now maskless) ninjas were tied up. One was the oldie, of course, and one was a young woman. Soon enough, villagers rushed up and demanded that Rush Valley was to be fixed. I watched as Ling and his ninjas fled and Al started rebuilding the town. I also noticed that since Winry was there, Ed held his automail arm in its socket, like he didn't want to be scolded yet. Winry walked over to me.

"Those foolish boys." She sighed and I watched Edward, out of Winry's sight range, had let his broken arm fall to the ground. Winry wheeled me back to her automail place. The almost-transvestite, Garfiel, was working on some automail. He gave us a cute wave and we waved back. We walked in a back room.

"Do you have them ready?" I asked. She nodded.

"I'm glad I got your measurements back then." She grinned. "I hope you like blades inside automail. I modeled them off of one of Bunny's legs."

"Blades?" I chuckled. "Excellent." I gave her a thumbs up, which she returned gleefully.

"I haven't completed my idea on rocket launchers inside a leg, so you've only got one long blade on each leg." she explained. I nodded.

"When can we start?"

. . . . . . . . . .

"Huh? What are you doing here?!" I walked into Winry's place and saw Lynn, Ling, and Garfiel taking tea at the table.

"I fainted again and this beautiful one here let me have some tea." Ling smiled and gestured to Garfiel, who blushed.

"Sorry, you two, I tried to make him leave, really, I did." Lynn apologized. She seemed nervous for some reason, but I brushed it off as fear of the squinty-eyed foreigner. I slapped Ling with my broken arm and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"What the hell, you foreign bastard! Pay for the meal!" I glared. He ate _way_ too much at the restaurant.

"But why? Friends pay for friends' meals, right?" He asked innocently.

"Who'd be friends with you and your weirdo eyes?" I raged.

"Don't be mean to someone based off their appearance!" Lynn scolded.

"Alright, Lynn, I've- EDWARD! YOUR ARM DID NOT LOOK THAT BAD WHEN I MET UP WITH YOU IN TOWN!" Winry shrieked as she came in the room. After she beat me to a bloody pulp with her wrench, she poured herself a cup of tea.

"I didn't get to tell you before, Miss Winry, but you are so very beautiful and kind. Maybe I should take up looking for a wife here along with accomplishing my objective. He gave her an I'm-sexy-as-hell look and I moved to slap him again. How DARE he!

"Winry," I said, trying to distract her from Ling. "I need to ask you a favor." I pulled her to the side, and then my voice became serious. "I was wondering, if, well, you know, for Lynn- Her legs-" It was harder to say than I thought it would be. I swallowed and went to continue, but Winry's smile had turned into a small, sad one. She enveloped me in a hug.

"You've always been thoughtful in the end." She whispered in my ear, then walked away. I was stunned, but recovered as quickly as I could.

"And fix my arm up quick! I wanna get back to Central as soon as possible!" I yelled after her. She gave an acknowledging wave.

"Central? I'll go with you!" Ling slung his arm around my shoulder. WHEN HAD HE GOTTEN UP AND STOOD NEXT TO ME?!

"Go yourself!" I ducked out from under his arm and stalked off.

. . . . . . . . . .

***I find that he's been called Jafar or Garfiel, and since the sign on his shop says Garfiel, I'm changing it to Garfiel. Please forgive me errors in the previous chapters.**

****I also find that sometimes she's called Bunny and sometimes she's called Paninya, which is confusing, so I went with Bunny. Please don't kill me.**

**This chapter was getting really, really long so I cut it a bit short. It was really kind of a filler chapter. Blegh. Sorry about that.**

**You know what's going to go on next, don't you?**

**~Rabbit**


	20. Broken And Tired

**La la la, just me, hopping along, when BAM! it hits me- I'm not Hiromu Arakawa or whoever the heck owns FMAB. I'm just a young girl and know little of such things.**

**Onward!**

. . . . . . . . . .

"There!" Lynn put the finishing touches on the circle as Al and I watched. We had spread out a large sheet of paper and gotten pencils for her (she insisted, with threats of death by wrench). She lay some fragments on the circle and put her hands to it. The light of transmutation flared and then it was done.

"Oooh, good job for your first one!" Al said happily. On the table lay a plain white mask for Lan Fan. Lynn clapped her hands gleefully.

"I did it! It doesn't have the colors, but I got the shape right! Did you see? Did you see?" She grinned. Al patted on her on the back while I gave her a thumbs up. It was actually pretty good for her first transmutation.

"I'll just touch it up a bit." I grinned, swiping the mask off the table. Seeing Lynn's wary face, I reassured her, "To put the color on, you know?" I clapped my hands, transmuted it into an epic ogre mask, and handed it to Lan Fan, who had been watching. Oh, yeah, Winry fixed my arm. She had holed up in her room, too, muttering something about "preparations" and "final touches".

Lan Fan was livid, and she broke the mask over my head, much to mine and Lynn's dismay. Lynn put the split mask back on the circle and fixed it while Al made Lan Fan a new mask based off of a drawing Ling did for him. Lynn watched Al do that and brightened.

"Hey, Ed, come here!" She grabbed some paper and started drawing something. It looked like an odd jacket of some kind with a hood and pocket on the front. "It's a hoodie." She explained. "You can put designs on the front, and it's warm. Made of cotton or something." She pointed to the hood and the drawstrings for it. I picked up the paper.

"I'll keep it in mind." I gave her a wink as I folded up the sketch and put it in my pocket.

"Just because you did this for me-!" Lan Fan was yelling at Al.

"Just say 'thank you' like you're supposed to." Ling interrupted with a vacant expression. Lan Fan froze, blushing in embarrassment.

"Th-thank you very much." She bowed to Al stiffly. I didn't really buy it, but whatever.

"Lynn, come on, it's time to start!" Winry called down. Lynn paled, but gave an energetic smile. Time to start? Like, start attaching new legs to Lynn?

Something wasn't right here.

There's no way the legs were finished that fast. You had to get supplies and measurements and everything.

Unless-

No, it couldn't be.

Could it?

"Coming!" Lynn started moving her wheelchair. I grasped the handle to stop her.

"Lynn, there's something I need to ask you." My voice was deadly quiet.

"Yeah?" She turned her wheelchair to face me. She seemed excited.

"How is it," I began. "that your new legs are ready so fast? I only asked Winry to make you some a little while ago."

She paled.

I knew it.

"HOW COULD YOU?!" I grabbed her by the front of her dress violently, rage twisting my face and fear twisting hers. "You- you- How could you just plan to throw away your body?! Your own body!" I screamed at her. Everyone was watching us now, Winry had even come out of her room, but I didn't care. It could've been just Lynn and me in the room and it wouldn't have mattered to me.

"Lynn? What's going on?" Alphonse asked. He sounded frightened. "Brother, will you let go of her?"

"How long, Lynn Grey? How long have you been plotting this?!" I yelled.

"Ever since I met Winry." She whispered. I let go of her, stepping back. There was a brief quiet.

I slapped her.

"WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM US?!" My fury exploded. "WHY DID YOU LIE TO US, LYNN?! WE TRUSTED YOU!" I raged. She put her hand to her red cheek, an astonished look on her beautiful pale face. Then she grew angry.

"I was trying to help you! All I've ever done was for you and Al!" She yelled. "I'm sick of you yelling at me all the time like you're so special! Are you better than me, Edward?! Do you have the right to _hit me_?! She was furious. I stepped back a little.

"Lynn, have you really been hiding things from us?" Al sounded heartbroken. My fury returned full force.

"'Help us', my ass! You're nothing more than a liar!" I snarled at Lynn. She flinched, then glared. Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"Everything I've done was for you." She repeated. "But now- Now, you've stooped to _her _level. You've abused me with your words before, but you had never physically hurt me. You're less than dirt, Edward Elric!"

I didn't have a reply to that, so I showed my self to the door. "C'mon, Al, we have better things to do than hang out with _traitors_." I hissed. I stalked out. Al paused, then followed hesitantly.

I wouldn't let this betrayal stop me.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Winry, go with them. They need you." I muttered, staring at the ground.

"But-" She hesitated.

"I'll take care of the operation. Go." Garfiel said gently. Winry nodded, squeezed my hand, and departed. Bunny followed her out; probably to see them off.

"Lets get this done." I muttered to Garfiel. I was determined not to cry. I didn't want to be weak anymore. Garfiel flipped the 'open' sign on the door to 'closed'. He wheeled me into a room with a stretcher on it. A tool box was on a table along with rags, my soon-to-be legs, and a bucket full of water. I was nervous, but I was also determined. He picked me up gently and lay me down gently.

"It's going to be a little difficult to attach the legs since so much of your original flesh is gone." He warned. I nodded.

It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life.

"I just want then to be safe." I whispered, trying to stop tears from overflowing. My lips were bleeding from biting them to keep from screaming.

"It's okay to cry about it, you know." Garfiel said gently. I gave in and wept. To keep from screaming I talked, my voice rising and falling depending on the level of pain I was in.

"My mother hated me. She'd beat me." I muttered between sobs. "I found someone after that, Grams, but even her love was fleeting. Then I had Ed and Al, and now they're gone." I clenched my fist.

"All I ever wanted was to be needed. To be loved. Was that too much to ask?" I cried out at one point. Everything was blurring together in the haze of pain that I was in.

"Grams took me to a parade once." I rambled. "I remember the marching band played a lovely song and they were dressed all in black. On my first Fourth of July with her she took me to see fireworks. I remember that they were the most wonderful thing is ever seen. Shining so brightly, making such a big impact, then disappearing with only smoke as a remembrance." I loved the fireworks. She took me every year after that.

"You know why my last name is Grey?" I said. "When Grams adopted me she gave me three options: Keep Mother's last name, adopt her last name, or create my own last name. I chose the last option. My last name is grey because of a lovely saying Grams had. 'Things are never black or white, good or evil, there's always shades of grey in between.' And I liked the idea of grey being in between something. To be in between something there has to be more than one thing, which means that grey wasn't alone. Grey had something standing by it no matter what's Funny how everyone is leaving me, right?"

I think I sang to help get rid of the pain. Garfiel, what a dear person he is, he put up with it, even encouraged my vocalization of my thoughts through songs that other people wrote. I think I was singing something by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus when the pain lessened slightly. Then it lessened more than slightly.

"We're done, Lynn Grey. It's done." Garfiel smiled at me. I felt relieved. I smiled back, then passed into unconsciousness.

. . . . . . . . . .

The train ride was silent at first. Ling broke the silence quickly, though.

"Hey, so I guess I should officially tell you the names of my bodyguards. Lan Fan is the little missy and Fu is the geezer. They're from a family that serves my family." He smiled cheerily. I grunted, then realized something.

"Oi, so if you're too scared to go out on your own without bodyguards, then how old are you, anyway?" I asked.

"Fifteen." He said bluntly. We all gaped.

"Hey, Ed, aren't you almost sixteen?" Winry whispered.

"Stand up." I gestured to Ling. we both stood. He was taller than me by almost a foot. I nearly died with rage. Totally not fair. "Ugly face!" I yelled, pointing at Ling angrily.

"He changed the subject!" Al said astonished.

"He changed the subject!" Winry repeated in awe.

Suddenly, I almost got impaled by a sword from the roof. "WHAT THE HELL!" I screamed.

"Ah, Lan Fan." Ling glanced at the ceiling.

"They're on top of the train!" Al marveled.

"Are they okay?!" Winry panicked.

"Those two are hitching a free ride! Security!" I yelled.

"Haha, do you really think they'll get caught that easily?" Ling teased.

Needless to say, their shenanigans kept my mind occupied enough that I almost forgot about _her_.

Almost.

. . . . . . . . . .

**I think the term for this chapter would be "angsty", no? Lol I have no idea.**

**How was it? Sorry if it was a little short.**

**Until next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	21. AU - Truth Laughed

**Hey, I was just randomly being random and I thought of a random AU with Lynn in it where most of the characters are little kids and age differences. The basic premise is that there's a "creepy" old legless woman in a black and white house, and a bunch of kids go up to see her on an adventure.**

**You can totally skip this chapter if you want and go read the next one, I don't really mind, I just wanted to type it up.**

**Let's begin.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"I win!" A bulky, orange-haired ten year old grinned at the skinny boy with black hair, who threw down his cards in annoyance. "You can never beat me at poker, Ron Stallion." The boy grinned at his annoyed friend. Ron snapped his fingers impatiently.

"I want a rematch!" He yelled as Harry Breda, the orange-head, swiped money from the table.

"That wouldn't be wise." Elizabeth, a girl with cropped blonde hair and a no-nonsense attitude, patted Ron on the head. "You can't win." She said simply. Ron would've retorted, but their younger friends ran up. Edwin and Wendy were nine and Allen was eight. All were blonde, while Ed had gold eyes, Wendy had blue, and Allen had a hazel color. Wendy was wearing a blue backpack and Ed had a plastic toy sword. Al merely held a little armor figurine.

"Hey, bastard, come with us! We're going on an adventure!" Edwin grinned. Ron looked annoyed at being called bastard, but intrigued all the same.

"What kind of adventure?" He adjusted in his seat, bumping their friend Cain Furry, who had been sleeping with headphones in.

"What's going on?" Cain woke and sat up quickly, pulling his headphones out and adjusting his askew glasses.

"Big bro was listening to officer Mason Hughes talking to that teenager, John Havoc, about the creepy old lady that lives up on the hill." Allen said. "Did you know that both the officer and John go up to see her sometimes? Separately, of course, but they take care of her."

"That smoker goes up and takes care of an old lady?" Ron was astonished.

"Can't judge a book by its cover, I suppose." Wendy said cheerfully. She stroked the mechanical mouse Allen and Edwin got her for her birthday.

"She's totally bonkers." Edwin said. "Her house is black and white except for the doors, those are grey. She mutters about things, about strange countries and people and magic." He whispered. Everyone leaned in to hear better. "And she has no legs. She sits in a wheelchair most of the time, but she has some junky ol' prosthetics." At this Wendy's eyes gleamed. The kids chose to ignore it.

"Hey, what are you creepers plottin' this time?" The teen, John Havoc, a well-known ladies man and underage smoker, walked up. Everybody noticed the gun in his pant pocket.

"Uh...nothing?" Edwin gulped.

"We were just talking about poker, John." Ron smiled in an easy-going, relaxed manner. He was the only one who never felt threatened by Havoc.

"Oh? I see. Welp, I'll be on my way, I guess." John Havoc pulled out a skateboard and skated off. Everyone but Ron sighed in relief.

"Okay, now that he's gone, we can go see the crazy old bat." Edwin grinned. What Edwin didn't know was that Havoc hadn't _really _left and was eavesdropping. He frowned and skated off to find Hughes.

"So... what're we going to do when we get there?" Harry asked. The five boys, two girls, and one dog (Elizabeth's dog, she called him Hurricane) were walking up the hill to the black and white house. Edwin frowned.

"You know... I kinda didn't think through it this far. I didn't think you guys would actually come with me." He grinned sheepishly. Ron, annoyed, wanted to set him on fire, which troubled Ron. He had those odd pyromaniac moments sometimes, and he wondered why. It kind of scared him, how much he like seeing Havoc lighting a cigarette or a fireplace burning. He brushed the feeling aside, assuming a confident air.

"We'll just see how crazy she is." He proclaimed. Elizabeth shot him a concerned look; she always knew what he was feeling. He ignored her and marched up to the front door of the crazy woman's house. He knocked on the door.

No answer.

He knocked on the door again.

_ Still _no answer.

"Gah, lets just open the damn door!" Ron threw his hands in the air.

"Watch your language!" Elizabeth scolded.

"Yes, mother," Ron muttered. Elizabeth smacked the back of his head and Ron swore again, causing another blow to be delivered.

"You'll make me go blind!" He complained. "The brain controls eye stuff back there!"

"Agh, shut it, you two!" Harry Breda complained. Edwin opened the door cautiously. No sounds came from the house, so all the children entered. They walked down a narrow hallway that was black on one side and white on the other. Edwin was glad that Wendy had flashlights in her backpack, as there weren't many lights in the house.

"Hello? Anybody home?" Cain called out, nervously adjusting his glasses.

"Yes." Came a whispered response. Everybody jumped.

"Who's there?" Edwin asked hesitantly.

"You should know. You're the one trespassing in _my _house." Came the response. The group of kids cautiously entered the kitchen to find an old woman with long grey hair sitting at a table drinking tea. She looked up, and the group was surprised to find that her eyes were a pale grey as well. They weren't vacant like one would expect, but seemed to see right into your soul. She gave them a gentle smile. "Want a cup of tea?"

"No, thanks." Edwin replied. Al, Harry, and Ron said the same, while Elizabeth, Wendy, and Cain agreed to have a cup. Hurricane sniffed at the elderly woman's wheelchair curiously. She patted his head and wheeled to her teapot and cubbard to pour the tea.

Once they were all seated around the table (Ed and Al found a few spare chairs around the house and brought them to the kitchen), the woman asked them their names.

"Edwin Hoher-Elroy!" Edwin proclaimed with a grin.

"My name is Allen Hoher-Elroy." Al waved politely.

"Nice to meetcha, I'm Wendy Stonechime!" Winry smiled gleefully as she put her mechanical toy on the table.

"Ron Stallion, at your service." Ron gave her a wink.

"Elizabeth Falcon." Elizabeth said shortly. She gestured to her puppy. "This is Hurricane."

"Harry Breda, master cardplayer here!" Harry saluted her as if he were in the military.

"I'm Cain Furry." Cain twirled a headphone nervously.

"That's all wrong." The woman muttered under her breath, causing Ron to frown.

"What's your name?" Allen asked.

"Grey, Lynn Grey." The old woman, Grey, shook hands with each of them. "You," she pointed at Ron. "You like lighting things on fire, do you not?" She stared into Ron's eyes, making him uncomfortable.

"So?" He answered uncomfortably.

"You're a mechanic, little one." Moving on from Ron, she smiled gently at Wendy, who forgot about Ron, too, and beamed. Edwin was not liking this.

"You didn't transmute new chairs, Ed!" The old woman switched focuses again, slamming a frail hand on the table. She was going spastic. Was she bipolar? Maybe senile...

"I'm sorry, he'll transmute them next time." Al said soothingly, which seemed to help calm the old bat down. Everyone shared a "wtf" look.

"Kain, Riza, Heymans," She pointed to Cain, Elizabeth, and Harry, "Protect this bastard." She gestured to Ron, who stood up, knocking the chair back.

"What's with you?! You called me a bastard and got our names wrong!" He snarled. He was still upset about the fire comment earlier.

"No, it was you who got your names wrong." She frowned, her eyes clear and certain.

"She's bonkers!" Harry said, standing, too.

"Your parents were doctors," she pointed to Wendy. "You hate being called little," she pointed to Edwin. "You and fire have a bond," she pointed at Ron. "You're good with radios and tech," she pointed at Cain. "And you're scared of shadows." Her final point was towards Elizabeth, who paled.

"What about Harry and I?" Allen asked. He was frightened of the strange woman, but curious at the same time.

"Heymans is afraid of dogs and Al likes being a knight." She said after some consideration. Everything spoken by the woman had been true. Harry couldn't stand being within four feet of Hurricane, and Edwin hit people who called him small.

"How do you know all this?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Truth talks to me in my dreams, Colonel." She said dreamily. Her once clear eyes had gone vacant.

"The truth?" Ron asked.

"Truth: the universe, god, all, one, everything, you." She explained.

"Maybe she's in a cult of some kind." Harry whispered to Cain, who gave a frightened little squeak.

"All is one and one is all?" A phrase sprung to Ed's mind. Auntie Spring Curtis taught he and Allen that.

"Yes! Yes, that's it!" Lynn exclaimed happily, her face still looking dreamy, though her eyes were clear again.

"C'mon, guys, we're leaving!" Ron was not happy that the things this woman was saying were true (in a way). It made him nervous.

"No, don't go!" The old woman looked scared now. "It's dangerous outside!" She grabbed Ed's shirt. He pulled back instinctively. A hurt expression crossed her face.

"Run!" Edwin cried out. This woman was nuts. Tea forgotten, the children bolted for the exit. The black and white all around the house was creeping the children out.

"Wait! Please!" She yelled desperately. The children ignored her. She could only sit there while they left.

"She's nuts!" Edwin blurted after they were a safe distance from the house.

"The things she was saying- The things she knew-" Al trembled a little.

"Forget them. She's nothing but an insane old grey woman." Ron said shortly. Elizabeth noticed his clenched fists, but chose not to say anything about it for the moment.

The group said their goodbyes and parted ways. Most of them just wanted to forget the whole ordeal.

None of them knew that the woman watched them leave from a window.

"I'm not crazy. I'm not. I'm not." She muttered. "Right, Truth? Right?!" Tears streamed down her face as she yelled obscenities towards the ceiling, hoping Truth would hear.

Truth merely laughed.

. . . . . . . . . .

Character Names (in order of appearance)

Harry Breda - Heymans Breda

Ron Stallion - Roy Mustang

Elizabeth Falcon - Riza Hawkeye (Elizabeth is Riza's codename)

Edwin Hoher-Elroy - Edward Elric

Wendy Stonechime - Winry Rockbell

Allen Hoher-Elroy - Alphonse Elric

Cain Furry - Kain Fuery

Mason Hughes - Maes Hughes

John Havoc - Jean Havoc

Hurricane - Black Hayate (hayate means hurricane in Japanese)

Lynn Grey - Lynn Grey (no duh xD)

Spring Curtis – Izumi Curtis

. . . . . . . . . .

**And don't worry, I'll post the real chapter really quickly. Sorry about my spastic AU. xD**

**Did you like? Dislike? Love? Hate? Neutral feelings? A "wtf" moment?**

**I'll accept any reviews on it, but I won't take down the chapter. :p**

**~Rabbit**


	22. Far From Gold

**After a lot of procrastination, writers block, encouragement and help from Dreamer372, and rereading your lovely reviews, I finally got this done. Sorry for the wait. *nervously dodges chair that was thrown in anger from fans***

**I own my OC Lynn Grey and her mom and Grams, and that's 'bout it.**

**Also, all I know about the automail rehabilitation process are these things:**

**1. It's painful**

**2. It normally takes three years**

**3. Ed did it in one year**

**So I made up some logical (in my head, at least) stuff for when Lynn is getting used to her new legs.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Gah, why is _he _here?!" I heard Fullmetal's voice mutter as I stepped out of the car. I had driven over to a military base to get Hawkeye. I turned to find Winry talking to Hawkeye, Al trying to calm Ed down, and... No Lynn?

"I've been transferred. Why are _you _here?" I asked, ignoring his angry look.

"Just doing some research on the Philosopher's Stone and homunculus." Edward said.

"Good luck." I snorted. "Seeing as human transmutation research is restricted and all." I gave him a smirk. He ignored it.

"I'll figure somethin' out." He muttered. "Oh, yeah, one more thing, we were hoping to go visit Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. How's he doing?" Edward and Winry smiled innocently while Al would've done so if he had a body.

I froze. Had Lynn not told them? Pain flickered across my face briefly. I saw Hawkeye look away. I did as well, seeing their happy faces. I had come across information that suggested that Hughes died while doing research to help the Brothers, and I was too much of a coward to tell them so.

"He's gone." I said.

"Eh?" Edward sounded confused.

"He took his family and moved to the countryside. Central has been getting dangerous lately." I muttered. Hawkeye gave me a look. She must've thought I was braver than that. Sorry, no can do. If Lynn didn't have the guts, and Armstrong didn't have the guts, and even I didn't have the guts, then who would tell the brothers? Hawkeye? Maybe.

"Oh, that's too bad." Edward said.

"Well, military work can get dangerous." Al observed.

"Aw, I wanted to see him." Winry pouted.

"The Philosopher's Stone and homunculus, right? I'll contact you if I find anything." I waved an acknowledging hand as I started walking away, trying not to think of my dead best friend. Sound mushy that I called him my best friend? Well, deal with it. "Let's go, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir." She saluted.

"Fullmetal, don't jump to conclusions and do anything weird." I said as I was walking away. Edward sounded confused, but he agreed to it. "And where's Lynn? She normally follows you like a puppy everywhere you go." I tried to lighten the mood by joking, but Edward didn't say anything. I turned to see that Winry was staring at the ground, Al was silent, and Edward was like a storm cloud.

"...Who cares? It's not like we wanted her to hang around us in the first place. Things are better now that it's back to normal. Why does everyone care about her?" He muttered. Edward sounded odd. Like he was upset but feeling guilty at the same time. I brushed it off and walked away.

"This seems like the only situation where you'd treat him like a child." The lieutenant murmured after the children were out of earshot.

"If Lynn Grey has not told them, then there is no need for them to know yet. It would be better if nothing hindered their progress." I paused. "Or something like that. I guess I shouldn't have called Major Armstrong soft-hearted when I heard that he hadn't told them anything, either." I frowned. "Where is the Grey girl, anyway? Did she and Fullmetal have a fight?" I remembered Winry's sad look. "Did she _die_?"

"No, she's probably alive. It's more likely that she and Edward had a spat." Hawkeye sighed. "Speaking of Edward, one of his subordinates is under suspect of murdering Maes Hughes."

"What?!"

"She adamantly denies it, though." Hawkeye confided as she handed me a file. I flipped through it. There wasn't enough information to satisfy my curiosity. She seemed to be the newest scapegoat for the murder. Last time, the Fuhrer had been planning on pinning it on Lynn (I sent her to Dublith for that reason, as you recall).

"Look for any documents- any at all- that link with Maria Ross." I commanded, tossing back the file. My lieutenant caught it deftly.

"To what extent, sir?" She asked.

"Down to the last bit, but do it fast. This is top secret."

"Yes, sir!" She saluted smartly.

We would be getting to the bottom of the case of the murder of Maes Hughes, whether it was committed by Ross or not. Which reminded me. Lynn witnessed the murder, right? So she could help identify the murderer! True, she didn't remember who it was exactly, but she could at least give us a few more hints now that she was over the trauma.

"Also, Lieutenant," I called over to her.

"Yes?"

"Get me a phone. I need to call Lynn Grey."

. . . . . . . . . .

"Oh, hello, Ms. Hawkeye, how can I help you?" I yawned. It was getting dark outside. I had been preparing to tuck in when I heard a knock on the apartment door. I opened it to find none other than the lieutenant.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Miss Rockbell, but I need to know the location of Lynn Grey." She said seriously. I rubbed my eyes sleepily.

"She's in Rush Valley with Mr. Garfiel. Why?" I asked as she turned to go. She stiffened.

"..We need to make a call." She said finally, then briskly walked away. I watched her go, then decided that this was worrisome enough for me to talk to Al about it. I went back into the room to put clothes on (I had been wearing pajamas, you see).

"Brother!" I heard Al call out to Ed. There was more talking, then a "What the hell?!" from Ed. I hurried into the hallway.

"Al-" I began, but Edward put a hand on my shoulder, looking upset and panicked.

"Sorry, no time, we'll explain once we confirm it." Edward gave me a brief wave as he and Al ran off. What on earth was going on?

. . . . . . . . . .

"Hello, this is Garfiel's Automail, how can I help you?" I heard Garfiel in the other room talking on the phone. I yawned. How had I gotten in bed..?

The automail!

I flung off the blankets and took a look at my shiny limbs. I couldn't believe my eyes, even though the pain that I was experiencing (my nerves were still raw from the rough connecting) was proof enough. Bolted into my flesh in the middle of my thighs were the automail legs Winry made for me. I almost cried for joy. I'd be able to walk _without_ _hobbling_!

"Lynn, dear, are you awake?" I heard Garfiel call over.

"Yeah, what's up?" I yelled back. I started to move my legs to get out of bed only to find that it HURT LIKE HELL. Goddamnit, I hadn't realized that reconnecting nerves to wires and attaching hunks of metal to my flesh would hurt that bad afterward. I gritted my teeth and managed to move my legs so that I was sitting on the edge of the bed, but even that left me a little pale. The rehabilitation was going to suck.

"Phone call for you." Garfiel brought the phone in. "Oh, my, what a determined little lady you are, for you to have been able to move already!" Garfiel rushed over and pointed out the glass of cool water next to me, seeing my paler-than-average-pale state. I downed it quickly and took the phone.

"Hello?" I said.

"It's me." A familiar voice came over the phone. I wondered why the colonel didn't say his name, but I figured there was something going on.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I'll get to the point. Maria Ross has been found guilty of murdering Hughes. Is this true?" His voice was staticky over the phone.

"Are you sure this line isn't tapped?" I asked worriedly, recalling the memories of Hughes's grisly murder and trying to remember the killer's face.

"It's a public phone. Hawkeye got me your location from Winry. Ross has recently broken out of prison and is on the move. I need matching information before I-" He paused. I heard the concealed pain and desperation in his voice.

"It wasn't Ross." I said. "I think the killer was male, but his face- Goddamnit, his face isn't clear!" I growled, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"I see. Very well. This matches up with the validation from the armor that Ross had used the bullet to shoot him in the hand, not kill Hughes..." I heard him muse aloud.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Goodnight, Lynn." He said, and hung up. Damn that stubborn bastard!

"Is everything alright, dear?" Garfiel asked.

"Yeah." I lied. I felt terrible. Edward, Alphonse, and Winry must've discovered that Hughes was dead by now. They must hate me.

Gee. I don't know how I got here, but I'd been given a second chance at life, to make friends and have a family. Look how awfully I screwed that up.

. . . . . . . . . .

Maes Hughes, our beloved friend, who had a wife and child and life ahead of him, is dead.

Why? Who killed him?

Lynn must've known about this.

What a liar. We asked her if anything had happened in Central, and she has the nerve to say "no".

And Armstrong and Mustang and Hawkeye knew, too. Are we surrounded by people who lie and are dishonest?

Or are they all just trying to protect us?

Did Second Lieutenant Maria Ross really kill the now Brigadier General Maes Hughes?

Those were some of the panicked thoughts running through my brain as Al and ran through town. We rounded a corner to see a suit of armor, Ling, and Ross running together.

"Second lieutenant Ross!" I exclaimed.

"Edward! Alphonse!" She yelled in surprise.

"Ah! You're-!" Al and the other armor cried out astonished. They pointed at each other in sync.

"You two know each other?!" I asked incredulously.

"And Ling's here, too!" Al pointed at Ling, who merely said hello.

"What're you doing here?!" The other suit of armor yelled.

"That's my line!" I yelled back.

"Gah, just get out of the way!" The armor took a swipe at Al with the cleaver. He dodged.

"Ross, what's going on?! Did Hughes-" I began.

"Don't bother, Missy!" The armor told her. "Run straight toward the warehouse cluster down that alley! You can get away in the darkness there. Hurry! If the soldiers come you're as good as dead!"

I watched as Ross looked like she was trying not to cry. "Sorry, you two, I'll explain later!" She dashed right by us and the armor guy blocked when we tried to follow. He waved his cleaver around. The second lieutenant did not answer us when we yelled her name, telling her to come back. After a few moments of fighting, we heard a huge explosion coming from Ross's direction.

"Damnit!" I ducked under the armor guy and dashed past him. He yelled in annoyance. I rounded a corner to find Mustang standing in front of a charred corpse.

There was a prison bracelet on it that said "Maria Ross".

"What the hell is going on, Mustang?!" I yelled, grabbing him by the front of the shirt. "You lied...Hughes..why is he dead?! What the hell?! And now Ross!"

He punched me in the face.

"Laying hands on a higher ranking officer? Learn your place." Mustang said in monotone. I lunged at him again, but Al caught me.

"No, Brother, you can't! Stop!" Al held me back, then asked the colonel his own questions. I was raging. "What's going on?" He asked.

"Ross was on the run and an order to kill her had been issued. That is all." Mustang replied with the same blank face and the same monotone.

"That doesn't explain anything!" Al responded. He was upset.

"I apologize for hiding Hughes's death from you." He said grimly. "But I was not the only one to do so, was I not?"

. . . . . . . . . .

_ "Hey, it's been a while! Where have you been?" Edward waved at me with a silly grin plastered across his face. Alphonse ran up behind him carrying their suitcase._

_ "I've been around." I grinned back. I tackled them both in a hug and then we all ran. Ran! I was running!_

_ My flesh and blood legs carried me across a daisy-riddled field that hadn't been there moments before, but who cares? Al and Ed were with me, and no one was mad. Winry waved to us, carrying a lantern (in broad daylight? odd..)_

_ "You foolish child." The voices whispers in my ear. "You worthless little whore!" The whisper rapidly increases volume until it is a roar, yelling obscenities and threats at me in my mother's voice. I put my hands over my ears._

_ "No! Stop! Get out of my head!" I scream. But she's not in my head. She's...right there?_

_ Mother is standing with a shadowy figure on a throne. And when it speaks I realize that it is Him. "If you do not tell us, we will hurt you beyond repair."_

_ "I don't care!"_

_ "Well, maybe you'll care if we hurt _them._" He gesture__d__ to a few figures laying on the ground. There's Ed and Al and Winry and Pinako and Mustang and Havoc and Hawkeye and Armstrong and even Grams, who should've been long dead by now._

_ They screamed a lot from the torture. I wept and screamed as well, but my legs were gone, leaving only bloody stumps. There was nothing I could do to save them._

I awoke in a cold sweat. I gasped for air, trying to regain my senses. I reassured myself about my friends (if they could still be called that). Ed, Al, Mustang, Havoc, Hawkeye, and Winry are in Central. Pinako is in Resembool. Armstrong is probably also in Central. Grams is six feet underground in a wooden box.

They're safe.

I let out a relieved sigh as I became calm.

I rolled over in bed, thoughts racing through my brain. I wish I had some painkillers. I wondered how Edward, Alphonse, and Winry were doing. I was also curious as to whether Maria Ross would be found guilty or not. I could call the military, but I didn't know the number.

I sighed. With all these thoughts buzzing around I probably wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anytime soon. So, why not get a head start on rehab?

Stretching, I sat up and forced myself to get out of bed. I bit down on my lip to keep from making a sound of pain. Where were painkillers when you needed them? I stood on wobbly feet and grinned despite the pain. I could stand again!

Of course, the legs were incredibly heavy. It took effort, but I lifted one and took a step. Then another. And then another!

I was feeling pretty proud of myself as I walked really, really slowly back to the bed and collapsed in it. I let out a pained sigh. That hurt a lot, but was rather rewarding all the same. I decided to try and sleep again.

That time, my dreams were filled with a smile and golden eyes.

The next day, my time was spent on a little machine I like to call the Re-Hell-bilitator, or Rehell for short. It was like a treadmill with handlebars on the side so you could struggle with help. Garfiel was pleased with my progress, but he "had to break something to me" around lunch when we stopped for a break.

"I know that you wish to help the boys, but you do know that rehabilitation takes up to three years." He said gently. I chewed and swallowed my sandwich before replying.

"Edward did it in one year. Also, I've done rehabilitation before when I first got my leg braces. This is like re-rehab, so it should be easier." I pointed out. I wasn't sure if that logic normally worked here, but I sure as hell would make it work if it didn't. Garfiel merely nodded and gave me another sandwich. You know, he actually didn't look that bad in a pink frilly apron.

After a long day of pain and leg lifting and leg setting-back-down, I decided I'd check up on Ed, Al, and Winry. I was going to grab the phone when I realized that I wasn't ready to talk to Edward yet. In fact, I wasn't ready to talk to anybody. I didn't want to see Winry when she got back, either. I hope Ed didn't yell at her for concealing the secret.

I decided to call Izumi Curtis. She'd check up on the boys for me.

"Hello?" She said when she picked up the phone.

"Hey, it's Lynn. Could you do me a favor and check up on the boys and Winry for me? They're in Central." I said quickly.

"Are you not in Central? You can't protect them very well if you're not with them." She sounded confused and suspicious at the same time.

"There was an...accident, persay, with my legs, and I stayed in Rush Valley to get some automail ones. I think I might go somewhere else soon, though. I don't think I can face Winry when she comes back." I said, then facepalmed. I said too much.

"Can't face her? And one more question. I know you could've called Ed yourself. What's going on?" She inquired.

"Oh, er, nothing, really." I said quickly.

"Lynn." She scolded. I gave in and told her about the argument, the lies, the things I had been hiding, and our hasty separation. There was a pause, then she told me she'd deal with Edward and get back to me as soon as possible on how they were doing. I thanked her and hung up.

"Well, all I can do now is wait." I sighed. To kill time I started stretching and found that I had great flexibility, which got me excited. Once I got the hang of these legs, I could train in "gymnastics" and fighting, which could make me even more useful!

. . . . . . . . . .

"Wait, sir, phone call for you!" The hotel keeper called out as Armstrong was dragging me away. He had just hit my automail and claimed that it was broken, then denied Al's request to come with us to Resembool to get it "fixed" (Winry's right here, what the hell is going on?!), and was now claiming that we had to hurry and leave. I broke free from his iron grasp and walked over to the hotel man.

"Hello?" I said as I took the phone from him.

"Edward." Sensei's voice came through over the phone and I froze in terror. What could she want now?!

"Y-yes?" I asked cautiously.

"I heard that you were in Central."

"How did you hear that? And how did you get this number?!" I was incredulous. There was no way she could have that information.

"How are you guys? All in one piece?" She asked, not answering my question.

"Yes, ma'am." I assured her nervously. What was she up to now?

"And how's Lynn doing?" She asked.

Silence. I don't know what to say.

"That's funny, because I got a call from her recently. She confessed everything. And Edward Elric, my foolish pupil, you are a MORON!" She yelled into the phone. I winced.

"Wait, Sensei, you don't understand-" I say, trying to calm her down.

"I don't understand?! I DON'T UNDERSTAND?! LIKE HELL I DON'T UNDERSTAND! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?! LYNN GREY IS YOUR FRIEND. SHE MAY BE GETTING METAL LEGS BUT WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!" She raged.

"Sensei, wait, the problem is that she lied-" I tried to input.

"You've done your share of lying, I'm sure, Edward." She was quieter now, so I relaxed a little. Big mistake.

"Sensei-" I began again.

"Now you get your shrimpy little ass back to Lynn and start kneeling on the ground to beg for her forgiveness!" She yelled. Then she hung up.

I just stood there a moment, guilt flooding me. Was I just a moron, like Sensei said, or was I justified in being angry?

"Edward Elric, you are wasting precious time!" Armstrong roared jovially. He started dragging me away once more. I groaned. What have I gotten myself into now?

. . . . . . . . . .

**Alright, that was that. Phew. I think Riza needs to find the human version of writers block and shoot him/her to death with a machine gun or pistols or a sniper rifle or something.**

**'Til next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	23. Smexy Ladies EVERYWHERE

***tries to catch tomato and fails, taking the splatter full in the face***

**Sorry about that.**

***wipes face with towel***

**'Kay, so Gluttony attacked Riza and Mustang charred him, then Envy got stabbed a couple times by Lan Fan, and Barry the Chopper is chasing his body around the place.**

**Also: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

**Alright. We shall proceed. We start with Al, then move to Lynn, and so on and so forth.**

**And Havoc mentions breasts multiple times. x)**

. . . . . . . . . .

"A killer has entered the building! All staff evacuate immediately!" Colonel Roy Mustang walked down the halls of the laboratory rapidly. Second Lieutenant Havoc (who was wearing a ski mask), Lieutenant Hawkeye, and I followed him. We were chasing Barry the Chopper, who was chasing his rotting body. The three military officers had their guns out. I just tried to look important.

"What's the matter?" An officer saluted.

"The homicidal maniac who attacked the western detention center has broken in!" Mustang replied with ease. "I'll take on the criminal! I want all other officers guarding entryways and exits!" He commanded.

"Yes sir!" The officer responded.

"Shall we ask for reinforcements?" Another officer asked.

"I already have." The colonel said. The officers nodded and dashed off, along with everyone else who was fleeing the building.

"When did you make the call?" I asked him curiously.

"I lied."

I almost face-palmed.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Garfiel, can I ask you a favor?" I asked him. I was almost able to walk without support now, albeit very slowly. I never knew how much my extreme pain tolerance levels and rehabilitation determination (ooh, that rhymed) skills would come in handy until now, though I'm still never going to say "Thank you" to my mother. No chance in hell.

"What is it?" He asked. He really was a great guy. I was even learning a thing or two about automail and its maintenance and care from him.

"I love you lots, you know, but I'm not sure I can stay here much longer. I'm still in your debt for attaching the legs, and I'm not really ready to face Winry when she comes back. Hell, I even owe Winry for making me the legs." I confessed. I didn't really know how else to put it. Thankfully, Garfiel was very understanding.

"I know." He patted my head fondly, almost like an older sibling would. "I bet the country sights would be good for you. Fresh air and plenty of room to run around, once you can run." He smiled kindly as he took off his pink frilly apron. "And you haven't seen Winry's grandmother in a while, have you?"

I smiled back, seeing where this was going. "I should probably call Pinako and let her know I'm coming to visit."

. . . . . . . . . .

"How horrible. So you stood me up to come to a place like this. I wondered what you were up to. I missed you, Jean." Solaris stepped out of the gloom in the dark room we entered. This lab seemed like a prison. What the hell was my girlfriend doing here?!

"Solaris, what are you doing here?!" I yelled, not lowering my gun.

"You know her?!" Roy asked sharply.

"I'm Jean's girlfriend." Solaris said smoothly.

"Hey, that's an Oroborous tattoo." Roy pointed out.

"This is my first time seeing it." I confessed. That dress accentuated Solaris's curves perfectly, and the cleavage up top...

"I'm sorry for deceiving you." She said, crossing her arms so her breasts rested on them. "It was part of a collection of information, you see."

"Now I see how you were deceived." Roy remarked. "It was the boobs, wasn't it?"

"I LOVE boobs." I had to confess. I imagined tears running down my face and sparkles floating over my head. Gee, those boobs... Solaris (was that even her name?) was damn smexy.

"Did you give her any information?" Roy asked seriously.

"No, nothing about work." I shook my head.

"That's right. Nothing you spilled was useful to me." She murmured.

"I'm not an idiot. I know how to separate my work from my private life." I shrugged.

"Solaris, was it?" Roy began. His gun was held tightly in his hand.

"An alias." She interrupted.

"Did you know Maes Hughes?" He asked. His eyes were narrowed.

"Indeed I did. Sharp man, that one." Her eyes narrowed and a knowing smirk worked its way into her face. "I regret I wasn't able to finish him off."

. . . . . . . . . .

"Major, where on earth are we going?!" I complained as I was dumped unceremoniously on a seat on the train. He had refused to give me any more details on WHATEVER THE HELL WAS GOING ON, which was frustrating.

"The weather is nice today." He noted. I sighed.

Well, this gave me time for thought.

Okay. So. Lets make a list. Scientists make lists.

Things Known

1. Lynn has been lying to us and hiding stuff from us

2. Lynn wants to protect us

3. I've lied and hidden things to protect people in the past

4. Sensei is going to kill me if I don't make up with Lynn

5. Winry and Lynn were scheming together so that Lynn could throw away her body parts and get automail legs

6. Lynn's legs that were cut off somehow were practically useless before they were removed

7. There's nothing I can do about Lynn's automail now. It's in the past

Questions

1. Does Lynn have a good enough reason for lying and such that I should forgive her?

2. Am I just a hypocritical bastard who doesn't like being treated the way that I treat Winry?

3. Is Lynn okay?

4. Should we allow Lynn back in our lives, even though she's a liar?

This was bloody hard. I ran my hands through my hair and grumbled obscenities to myself. I eventually settled on just putting my hands in my pockets.

One of my hands connected with something unfamiliar.

Was that paper?

I pulled out a folded up piece of paper. Upon unfolding it, I discovered the hoodie design that Lynn drew.

_ "It's a hoodie. You can put designs on the front, and it's warm."_

I felt a pang in my chest as I remembered Lynn enthusiastically explaining about the clothing from her world. Of course, this was before I went ahead and ruined things. But was it all my fault?

. . . . . . . . . .

"Last call for train to Resembool! Last call!" I heard the conductor say. The train had come in from somewhere a half hour ago, and now it was about to leave. I hurried on and found a seat.

I waved to Garfiel as I leaned out the window on the departing train. He waved a little lace handkerchief. Bunny had found out I was leaving and came to see me off, too. Thank goodness Pinako said I could stay at her place for a while when I got there. I had no money.

When the train's speed started to pick up I leaned back into my compartment and relaxed against the seat. I had brought a few things with me in my suitcase: the spare clothes I brought, my iPod Touch (which I found, but it's incredibly cracked. Maybe I'll give it to Winry or bury it or something), and a maintenance kit for my automail.

I hope that Ed has forgiven me by now. Surely he'll see reason?

. . . . . . . . . .

"Don't you dare call me a wet matchstick!" Roy yelled at me. I had asked him for fire for my cigarette, forgetting that Solaris had dumped water on him with those long, finger-spears that could cut pipes. Thank goodness the hydrogen that was in the water in there could be used as a bomb.

"You think she's burnt to death?" I asked with a limp cigarette dangling in my mouth. Roy and I walked into the room with our guns up.

"She was either blown to pieces or burnt- No, she was definitely burnt." He said, eyeing the ground.

"How do you know?" I asked curiously, tentative to walk further into the room.

"When a persons' body burns, the lipid (fat) disperses in the air. If a newly roasted corpse is nearby, your face, mostly around the lips, will become greasy from the sticky fat." He motioned to his face.

"Experience from Ishval, then?" I muttered.

Roy paused. "The corpse is close. Don't underestimate her regeneration powers. Keep on guard." He warned. I nodded.

Suddenly, long, sharp spear-like things stabbed me through the stomach and protruded out my back. I almost screamed from the pain. I coughed up blood and my legs gave out from underneath me.

"HAVOC!"

. . . . . . . . . .

"Oww." I winced as I felt my automail ports ache. My the part of my legs that were still fles were really hurting, and my back felt awful. What on earth-?!

. . . . . . . . . .

"Okay, we're in Resembool, now what?" I asked the major as we stepped off the train. I glanced around. Your average Amestrians were milling about and- Was that silver-grey hair?! I was about to run over and go see if it was or wasn't an old lady when a man caught my attention.

"Oh, welcome back. Where's your brother?" He asked.

"Left him behind when I was kidnapped by this maniac." I gestured to Armstrong, who merely stood there sparkling. The man looked confused, but since I didn't seem that stressed about it he let it slide.

"Will you PLEASE tell me what's going on?" I begged as Armstrong dragged me away from the train station, making me miss the opportunity to figure out if that silver hair I saw was Lynn. But she's in Rush Valley, so I doubt it was her. We walked until we found a car parked on the side of the road with a man standing in front of it. He saluted.

"Yo, boss," The orange-head said.

"What's Second Lieutenant Breda doing here?!" I was so confused.

We ended up at an old house. A Xingese guy with glasses was introduced as a friend of Fu's (the old guy who served Ling).

"Now, about our plan to leave the country.." Breda began.

"Leave? But I don't have a passport." I said.

"Passports would leave traces of us. Duh." Breda rolled his eyes. My brain was still trying to process all this.

"You mean we're smug-?" I started, only to find my mouth covered by Armstrong's huge hand. They all gave me a menacing look. Oh. We were leaving the country illegally, and we didn't want anyone to know about it. This is just great. I removed Armstrong's hand with my automail arm.

"You bastards. This'd better be worth it." I grinned. "Where're we headed?"

"To the East." Breda smirked.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Ms. Pinako?" I knocked on the door to the small house.

"Ah, Lynn, you're here, right on time." The old woman opened the door. I was startled because I had forgotten how short she was. "Dont say 'Ms.' It makes me feel my age." She chided as she escorted me in. I collapsed into the nearest chair.

"Sorry for my rudeness." I said. A light sheen of sweat was on my pale brow. "These legs- geeeee, they're tough." I grinned. It would be worth it in the end.

"I'm surprised, honestly. You're able to walk already. I thought you'd need me to pick you up at the train station." Pinako gave me a curious look.

"I did rehab when I was a kid after I got my leg braces, and that was grueling. This should be a breeze!" I said, totally bluffing the 'breeze' part. "I also have a high level of pain tolerance." I grinned. Pinako smirked.

"Well then, Miss I-Will-Get-It-Done-In-Less-Than-A-Year, lets get started." She took a deep puff from her pipe.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing stretches and exercises that, while incredibly painful at first, helped me get adjusted to my new range of flexibility and opportunities.

. . . . . . . . . .

That huge, broken stone slab of a wall- it had a circle and multiple points on it. It looked dreadfully familiar.

We had ridden across the godforsaken desert to the too-fucking-hot ruins of Xerxes and I STILL didn't know what the hell we were doing there.

"Hey, quit gaping at a rock and get your ass over here!" Called Breda.

"Quit bothering me!" I yelled, but I went over there anyway. I'd take a closer look at the design later.

"We have to go deep into Xerxes because its dangerous for a woman to be out and about all by herself." Breda said slyly as he led me around.

"The last time I checked, we were all make here." I raised an eyebrow.

"I think you need to check again." Breda smirked as I saw the person.

_"__The East is nice this time of year. The women there are beautiful." _Mustang had said to a grieving Armstrong. That bastard. I grinned.

"Edward?" Maria Ross turned to me smiling. The sun hit her just right, perfecting the moment when I was reunited with a woman I thought was dead.

Of course, the major had to take his shirt off right then and there.

"SECOND LIEUTENANT ROSS! I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!" Tears streamed down his face as he sparkled. "THANK GOODNESS YOU ARE ALIVE!" He tried to tackle her in a hug, but she dodged nimbly. They started "playing a game of cat and mouse", so to speak.

"You can't hide someone who's supposed to be dead, or you at least cant hide them well. Our only option was to get her out of the country." Breda leaned on my shoulder. I slugged him gently and demanded an explanation, so he told me about Mustang's faking of her death, the smuggling out (with help from Fu and friends), and keeping it from everyone, along with Lynn's contribution of verifying that Ross wasn't the killer.

Of course, this was all news to me.

"How could she have verified that Ross was or wasn't the killer?" I asked.

"Well, when you watch someone die you kinda get a sense of who killed 'em." Breda gave me a look like "are you stupid?".

"She watched Hughes die?!" I choked out.

"Yeah, but after he died she somehow received some severe head wounds that made the memories all fuzzy, so she didn't remember the killer's face. She knew it wasn't Ross, though." Breda patted my shoulder seeing my horrified look. "Hey, I heard all this from Havoc, who watched over her until she woke up. It's truth."

She watched another friend of ours die, and she couldn't do anything about it. And she was even able to smile when she met up with us again. Was she guiltless? No, that wouldn't be it. She just wanted us to think she was okay so we could focus on our Philosopher's Stone goal.

I sighed. I seriously owed her an apology. Lynn, you're too good to everyone.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Hey, Pinako, would it be okay if I made some copies of those?" I asked.

She and I were sitting at the table taking a break from rehab. There was a photo album in front of us and I rather enjoyed looking at the pictures. I was also cleaning my gun, which I had discovered was buried in my clothes (did I pack it automatically or something?). There were a few in particular that I wanted. Ed, Al, and Winry, Ed, Al, Winry, and Pinako, Ed, Al, and Winry, Ed, Al, and their mom Trisha, and loads more with Ed and Al in them. There was also the one with Ed, Al. Trisha, and a weeping man whom I assumed is Ed and Al's father.

Also, I've realized something after looking at pictures of Trisha, Winry's parents, and Young Pinako.

Every woman I've met in Amestris has been beautiful or smexy, and I'm practically a grey potato. I mean, think about it. Pinako, Trisha, and Winry's mom Sara are gorgeous. Winry herself is a million dollars. Maria Ross and that secretary Havoc made out with are smokin' hot, and Riza Hawkeye is killer.

"Copies?" Pinako asked, distracting my from my inner rant about smexy women and my attractiveness level at bellow potato.

I resisted to the urge to say, "No, not copies, mushrooms." Instead I said, "Yeah. I kinda want to, I dunno, make an album, too." I said awkwardly. I avoided looking into her eyes by loading the gun. There. Done. Pinako seemed like she was going to say something, but Den started having a barking and growling fit towards the door. I grabbed the gun, cocked it, and pointed it towards the door. Den _never_ barked in such a hostile way.

The door opened.

A man with golden hair, golden eyes, and a beard walked in.

"Pinako, my house is gone."

. . . . . . . . . .

**Aaand, in comes Hohenheim!**

**Also: these probably seem like filler chapters. I'm veerry sorry about it, but they have to be there before Ed and Lynn meet up again and such. **

**See you next time!**

**~Rabbit**


	24. Eat My Dust

**The long awaited chapter has finally arrived!**

**P. S. Super 8 is an amazing movie.**

**P. P. S. Edward has a very foul mouth when talking to Hohenheim..**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Den! Quit barking at Hohenheim!" Pinako scolded the growling, furious dog, who only growled and barked more when Hohenheim tried to pet her. Seeing that these two adults knew each other, and the name Hohenheim sounded familiar, I lowered my gun and sat back down.

"I've never been popular with animals." Hohenheim smiled sadly.

"Oh! You're Ed and Al's dad." I realized as I saw his golden eyes behind the glasses. A breeze blew through the open doorway and a few pages in the album turned. A picture on the new shown page depicted a young, beautiful Pinako drinking with Hohenheim and a few other people. My eyes narrowed.

"And who," he inquired, "might you be?"

"Lynn Grey, at your service." I rose and gave a brief bow, then I sat back in the chair. "I have become friends with your sons." I explained. _Had _become friends, I thought bitterly.

"You haven't changed at all, Hohenheim. You never do." Pinako murmured to Hohenheim, who merely stared at me in a peculiar fashion. I stared back, feeling rather angry. "Lynn, get us a cup of tea, would you?"

"Tea?"

"Yes, tea."

"Ah. Right" I started to trudge away.

"Actually," Pinako called, "I'm going to make tea."

I turned and trudged back, then sat down in the chair. Hohenheim stood over me, so I sneakily grabbed my gun again, just because this guy gave me the creeps. His voice... His voice sounded so familiar.

"Hey," I started.

"Yes?" He stared at me, then noticed the opened photo album and closed it.

"I need you to say something for me." I said.

"What?"

"Just say the phrase, 'How did you get here?' in a menacing tone." I frowned.

"How did you get here?" He glared down at me, and I paled.

It was His voice.

My hold on the gun tightened.

"You wouldn't happen to, I dunno, have an evil twin or an evil clone or something, huh?" I licked my lips nervously. Hohenheim looked startled, then very grave.

We were interrupted by Pinako, who told me to go to my room and exercise my legs while she had a discussion with Hohenheim. I grumbled to myself on the outside, but on the inside I was very, very afraid. If He was in this house...

But he hadn't looked confused or objected instantly when I asked if he had a clone or evil twin.

What on earth was going on?

. . . . . . . . . .

"Gah, I'm _so _not looking forward to the trek back through the desert!" Breda complained as Armstrong started getting the horses.

"Ah, wait just a moment! I have to go check something out! I'll be back soon!" I yelled as I dashed off.

I stopped running once I got to the huge slab of a stone wall that had the alchemical(?) design on it. "If I compared it to a transmutation circle or an alchemical sigil, are there any differences?" I murmured. "A two headed dragon, and five suns? It's similar to the one in the 5th laboratory, but- Ah, damnit! I can't understand the whole thing since the top is missing a portion! What a sham!" I groaned, feeling rather frustrated. I stuffed my hands in my pockets only to discover the folded up sheet of paper again. I unfolded it and stared at the hoodie design, feeling rather glum. "Lynn.." I murmured sadly.

Suddenly, a wooden bat of some kind hit my shoulder, shocking it into dropping the paper and making me gasp in pain. I spun around and grabbed the attacker by the arm, pinning him to the ground.

"Why did you attack me?" I asked, my shoulder still feeling numb. "I don't have any money on me-"

"Things will not go badly if you surrender peacefully." A group of Ishvalan males surrounded me and the Ishvalan pinned to the ground.

"Sorry to say that you can't get a ransom off me, my parents aren't around." I snarled.

"It is not for money. It is for the liberation of Ishval's sealed off areas, as well as the request for the military to pull out of Ishval. You will become our hostage." A man with a burn scar over his left eye spoke gruffly.

"Hey, what's this thing?" A different guy picked up Lynn's sketch plan.

"Looks pretty worthless, I say toss it." Another guy said.

"Hey, don't!" I said, panicky for some reason. It was just a sketch, but it was Lynn's...

"Oh, is this worth something to you, then?" The guy who picked it up grinned wickedly. I got the feeling he wasn't the kindest guy in the book.

"Enough, this is disgraceful!" An old Ishvalan whose gender was indistinguishable*** **stepped out with a young boy. "Are you idiots trying to ruin the name of Ishval?"

"Shan-" The burn-face man protested.

"Could you let him up since we're no longer attacking?" The young boy asked me. I complied and let the man up, then stretched my arm. My shoulder was feeling much better, though there'd probably be a bruise.

"I apologize for the misguided actions of those young fellows." He/she said. I nodded.

"S'okay. And can I have that drawing back?" I asked the guy who picked it up. He scowled at me but handed it over. "I hope you don't mind me asking why you helped me." I said to the old (wo)man.

"Well, not all Amestrians are thugs. Our lives were saved by Amestrian doctors." The oldie said grimly.

"When Shan and I suffered mortal injuries, a pair of Amestrian doctors saved us, even though we're Ishvalan. I do hate Amestrians because of what happened at Ishval, but I can't hate you all. The only reason I'm alive today is because of a couple Amestrians." The boy confessed.

"It seems I've been indirectly saved by those doctors, as well," I glanced back at the men, who were eyeing me cautiously. "Doctors..." My fists clenched. "I knew a pair of married doctors who went to Ishval during the rebellion."

"A pair of married doctors?!" The kid and the old person shared a look. "You don't mean Mr. and Mrs. Rockbell, do you?!"

"You knew them?!" I asked, surprised at the coincidence.

"Of course! Any one of us who received aid from those two still remembers them today!" The young one said eagerly. "So you knew them! Fate is kind to us today! 'We have a daughter about your age' they said, and they treated me just as if I was her!" The boy was very happy. "I've always wanted to say 'thank you' to them."

"Is that so." I smiled sadly. "Auntie and Uncle Rockbell-" I paused. "Do you know what their final moments were like?" My expression became one of sadness. The old one and the young boy stiffened, then looked away in grief.

"They were treating someone when one of their Ishvalan patients attacked them." The old one choked out finally.

"That kind of thing can actually happen?" I felt heartbroken.

"I'm sorry." The two apologized. "We weren't able to stop him."

"Who is this bastard?" I snarled.

"His face was bandaged, so we cannot be sure of his identity. However, his right arm is covered in tattoos, if that helps." The old one clutched his/her staff tightly.

"I see." I said grimly. "I had better be going now, I've made my friends wait long enough." I waved and started to walk away.

"If you should ever have the opportunity, please visit the Rockbell's graves and tell them 'thank you' for us!" The boy called after me.

"I will!" I nodded with a sad smile and left them.

Once I had almost reached the group again, I realized something.

Lynn had almost died every time she happened to be apart from us. What if it happened again this time? And if it didn't, who's to say it couldn't happen really soon?

I felt a panic at the thought of her dying, and took a deep breath to calm myself. This made me make up my mind.

I would apologize as soon as I could.

But would she accept the apology?

Maybe if I brought her a present...

I took of my jacket and pulled the drawing from my pocket.

. . . . . . . . . .

"I'm going to visit Trisha's grave." Hohenheim announced. I had avoided him ever since the 'twin/clone' thing, and I had been about to approach him again. I inwardly cursed myself for my bad timing, but I only nodded and watched him from the window as he walked away. Then I realized that I could follow him and ask him at Trisha's grave, even though that's kind of insensitive.

But, I mean, if Edward hates him, then he probably deserves it.

I didn't even bother putting on shoes as I rushed out the door.

I eventually managed to follow him to a graveyard, but when I saw his heartbroken face as he stared at Trisha's grave, I decided to give him some space. I settled on taking a walk.

. . . . . . . . . .

No.

No fucking way.

"Van Hohenheim!" I screamed angrily as I saw my bastard of a father standing in front of my mother's grave.

"Ed...ward?" He asked, seeming very confused. "Have you grown bigger?"

"Why the heck are you phrasing it like a question?" I fumed.

"You've got quite the reputation in Central. 'The smallest state alchemist in history', was it?" He tilted his head.

"The youngest." I snarled, my rage rising. HOW DARE HE SAY SMALL.

"I heard from Pinako that you've done a human transmutation." He said seriously.

I paused. "You bastard. I can't believe you have the guts to show up here." I turned away angrily.

"Why in the blue blazes are you addressing your father as a bastard?" He asked, seemingly hurt by my words.

"You're not just any bastard, you're THE bastard." I glared. "If you weren't in front of Mom's grave right now I'd beat the crap out of you." My fist clenched.

"Trisha, why did you die?" He stared down at the grave.

"Because a shit like you just up and left! It was very hard on her!" I couldn't believe this crap. He continued to talk to Mom as if she was still there while I yelled at him for being an asshole.

"Why did you burn my home down? Not a single thing is left." He said sadly.

"We decided not to turn back from our chosen path." I said. "It's wise to not have a home to return to. It is a symbol of our resolve to carry out our decision." I stated.

"You're wrong. It's because you don't want to see the remnants of your mistakes, isn't it?" He said. I stared.

"No, that's not it!" I protested. I felt afraid for some reason.

"You're trying to erase the evidence of your error. It's just like a kid who's wet the bed and hid the sheets." He loomed over me. "You're running away."

. . . . . . . . . .

"I think I've given him enough alone time." I murmured as I came back to the grave site. I walked up to the gate. "Do I hear yelling?" I looked up to see Hohenheim talking to someone.

"Edward." I breathed. Edward was here. This couldn't be- He's in Central, with Al and Winry.

"EDWARD!" I yelled.

. . . . . . . . . .

I spun around at the noise.

Lynn was standing at the bottom of the hill.

"Lynn?" I said stunned. "Oh, yeah," I grabbed at the package tucked under my arm and opened it up, then held up the hoodie. "I got you a, er, present." I stammered.

She ran up the hill and tackled me before I could say anything else. I fell backwards onto the ground and she landed on top of me, giving me a big, bone-crushing hug that Armstrong would've been proud of. I felt relieved that she wasn't mad.

She pulled back, and aimed a punch at my face.

Correction: She wasn't _really _mad.

I caught the punch with my human hand so her wrist wouldn't get broken. "Lynn?" I looked up into her face, then felt something wet dripping onto my face. She was crying.

"Did you miss me?" I asked with a tentative grin.

"Yes, but my aim is getting better." She said, and really started crying. I helped her up after she got off me.

"Hey, now," I began, feeling awkward because I am no good with crying women.

"You jerk, you didn't even call. What if you had gotten hurt? What if Scar had- had-" She looked me over me worriedly, discovered that I was fine, and aimed a punch at me again. I caught it, of course. She threw a few more, though they were growing weaker, as if her upset feelings were going away as she cried. Thud, thud, thud. Her fist finally connected with my hand for the last time. "I missed you." She said finally, wiping away her tears with her free hand.

"Yeah." I smiled, releasing her clenched fist. "I missed you, too."

. . . . . . . . . .

The walk back to Pinako's was quiet, but only at first. Hohenheim, who had been forgotten by me for a while, commented that Ed's hair was in a ponytail like his. Edward got super annoyed and did a speedy braid to change his hairstyle. He noticed that my hair was in a ponytail and braided it, too, just so Hohenheim would be alone in ponytail-ness. I patted my beautiful braid appreciatively.

"He's just like me when I was younger." Hohenheim murmured, and I smiled.

"Edward, did you see me run just a few minutes ago?!" I cried out, realizing something.

I could run.

I could _run!_

He turned to me, realized how excited I was, and gave me an "I-give-up" smile. "Wanna run?" He sighed good naturedly.

"Yes! I'll race you home!" I yelled, and we took off running.

The wind blew by me as I picked up speed, my bare (metal) feet making a pleasant thudding sound against the earth. My now braided hair whipped around behind me, and I laughed as Edward ate my dust. The sky was so beautiful today. So was the grass. So was everything, really.

Today was beautiful.

. . . . . . . . . .

***I couldn't really tell, and I was reading a scanslation of the manga at the time (library was closed) so I wasn't sure what gender Shan was. Forgive me?**

**Okay, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE. I promise.**

**I hope you don't kill me if this chappie wasn't to your liking. I'm not ready to die. ;~;**

**~Rabbit**


	25. Do YOU Have An Evil Clone?

**Thank you all for your kind reviews and your patience. I have so many ideas running around in my head, it's not even funny.**

**Here we go.**

. . . . . . . . . .

"Thanks." I grinned at Edward as he handed me the hoodie he made. He merely blushed a little and went to grab a snack from the kitchen. I pulled the hoodie over my head and moved my braid to a more comfortable position.

The hoodie was a grey color with the serpent cross on the pocket, and then a larger serpent's cross on the back to match Ed's jacket. I grinned. I loved it, it fit perfectly and it was warm and snuggly. "Ah, 21st century clothes, how I adore thee." I wrapped my arms around myself pleasantly. Edward smiled.

"Glad you like it." He scratched the back of his head.

"Hey, you three, dinner is ready!" Pinako yelled from the dining room. Ed and I started running over there when I paused and looked back at Hohenheim, who lingered in the doorway.

"She said 'you three', you know. That includes you. It's not like you're forbidden from entering 'cause you weren't a good parent." I gave him a small smile and twirled away to the table. Dinner was mashed potatoes, some meaty thing that was delicious, and broccoli. Ed and I were practically inhaling the food, Pinako was calmly eating (ignoring us), and Hohenheim claimed he'd already eaten. Dessert was a bit of pie (consumed rapidly by all but Hohenheim).

After dinner, Edward met up with me in the hallway as I walked to my room.

"Lynn," He began. "We need to talk."

My mouth went dry, but I figured I owed it to him. "Okay. Come in." I opened the door to my room, grabbed his hand, and pulled him in. I sat crosslegged on the floor, and he did the same.

Ed took a deep breath. "First off... I want to apologize. I said harsh things and hit you, neither of which you deserved. It's all my fault and I was an arrogant prick and a hypocrite and I get it if you're really mad." His words came out in a rush, and I blinked. He stared at the floor while my brain scrambled for words to say.

"You're...apologizing?" I blinked again.

"Y-yeah." He flushed and avoided my eyes some more. I paused, then smiled.

"It's alright." I thought a moment. "I want to apologize, too. I hid a bunch of things and lied, even though you all were so nice to me." Suddenly holding in tears, I looked away, too. Then, something occurred to me. "Why did you come back for me? I mean, I'm really happy that you did, but I lied. I repaid your kindness with deceit." I grimaced.

Edward was silent for a moment. "So the truth is you're a liar. Well, you're our liar, and I'll be damned if we were never going to see each other again over a fight. I misse- I mean, everybody missed you. So, if you want back in, I'm not gonna stop you." Edward looked me right in the eyes then, and I saw the fiery determination that I had missed so much when he was gone. The tears overflowed and I leaned on Ed's shoulder and cried. I felt him stiffen. "Hey, now, you know I'm not good with crying women. What's wrong?"

"I'm so happy. I thought I'd never see you and Al again, and-" I sobbed a little more. Something else had made me happy, too, and I didn't know why. _"I misse- I mean," _What was he going to say? "I missed you"? No, that couldn't be it.

But I was happy nonetheless.

"Alright." I wiped the tears away with my hoodie sleeve. "As soon as we get back together with Al, all the lies between us, everything we've hidden- I'll come clean." I looked into Edward's face to see if he approved.

"Yeah." He smiled. "Sounds like a plan." We knuckle bumped, and then I flopped back and lay on the floor, staring at the uninteresting ceiling. Edward scooted back and leaned on my bed. "What's your home like, Lynn?" He asked.

_ This is my home. _"Well, lots of people are nice to me, we go on adventures, and there are these two guys who are my best friends..." I began.

Edward frowned. "Who are these men?" He asked.

"Well, their names are Edward and Alphonse, if you're really curious." I said slyly. Ed blinked, then laughed.

"What's your home_land _like, then?" He chuckled.

"I lived in a country called the United States of America in a state called Ohio. In the winters in Ohio the snow could get up to six feet!" I gestured wildly as I described the USA and its stupid problems and things that were good about it. I talked about war and protests and equality rallies and microwaves and computers and burritos and school. He listened quietly as I described it all with a homesick feeling.

"Grams wanted me to experience everything, you know." I said, starting to talk about the one person who cared about me on Earth. "Our summers were filled with new experiences. Canoeing, camping, reading, drawing, making ice cream, seeing fireworks... Anything we could do together was bliss. I had never been so happy." I smiled, then grimaced. "Well, school was almost hell, but that's beside the point."

"Do you miss it? Your home planet?" Edward asked with a front of calm, but I could sense something else. Apprehension, maybe? Caution? Dread?

"I miss the Internet, sure. But the Internet can burn for all I care. I've got friends here." I sat up and grinned. Ed grinned back.

"Get some rest, alien." He stood, patted my head, and left the room.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Damn, it's too hard to stay mad at her." I sighed as I made my way down the hall to my room. I stopped when I heard conversation.

"It was human transmutation, you know. Why didn't anyone stop them? Or scold them? Or something?" The bastard was saying.

"In that situation it would be the parents, and in this case that means you." Granny Pinako replied sharply.

"..I wouldn't know how." He said after a pause.

"Why didn't you even call? Trisha was waiting faithfully for you!" Granny scolded. I winced at the coincidence. So maybe I should call Winry a little more...

At least I make visits!

"If you had been around, those two wouldn't have thought of making their mother!" She finalized. Den smelled me and went into the hall to see me. I patted her head quietly. "The poor dears... They had to see their mother's death twice!"

"Making their mother..." Hohenheim said quietly. "You disposed of the thing, right, Pinako?" He asked. "Was it really Trisha that they made?"

"Well, I told you it wasn't human-like-" She began.

"No, not that." He interrupted. "For example, the eye's iris color, the voice, the color of the hair?" He took a sip of something.

"What are you talking about? Are you suggesting that it wasn't Trisha?!" Granny yelled. I froze.

Suddenly, a hand was holding mine, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Lynn had come down the hallway.

"I heard yelling. You alright?" She whispered, then she learned what was going on when Pinako yelled again.

"Are you saying that those kids sacrificed their bodies for something that wasn't even their mother?! That's a terrible thing to suggest!" She slammed her glass on the table. I blanched. Lynn did as well. I started to go back to my room, and Lynn moved the opposite direction.

To the kitchen.

Where Pinako and Hohenheim were.

I gave her an incredulous look, and decided I'd ask her about it in the morning.

I needed time to think.

. . . . . . . . . .

I rubbed my eyes, feigning sleepiness. "Mmm.. I heard yelling. Is everything okay?" My hand dangled at my side, clutching my gun. Pinako stared at it for a moment, then got up and walked over to me. She took the gun from my hands.

"Everything's fine, dear. Why don't you go back to bed?" She said gently.

"Wait, wait." I said. "I need to ask Hohenheim something."

"If you're sure." She frowned. "I'll be hitting the sack myself. Go to bed soon." She gave Hohenheim a concerned look and left.

"You need something?" Hohenheim asked as I sat down across from him.

"A couple things. For one, I never got the answer to my question, the one about whether or not you have an evil clone or twin, and the second thing is I need you to make copies of some photos for me." I stopped with the sleepy act and stared him right in the eyes. He met my gaze uncomfortably.

"I'm afraid I cannot make you copies of photos." He murmured.

"Aw, what? Don't you know what pictures are made of?" I frowned.

"Do you?"

"...So, anyway, about the evil twin thing..." I muttered, flushed. So maybe I didn't know what pictures were made of. What sane person knows that sort of thing?

Maybe Edward knows.

"I do."

"Eh?" I was caught off guard. My brain scrambled to connect the words with something that made sense.

"I will advise you to leave the country. My clone...has something planned for this country. He is not a kind person." Hohenheim looked pensive.

"I know he's not kind, I've met him." I muttered.

"What?" He looked at me sharply.

"I haven't actually seen him, you know, 'cause I had a blindfold on, but I've heard his voice and spoken to him." I said. Hohenheim suddenly became very interested in me.

"What did he say? Did he mention anything about his plans? How much has he gotten done?" He bombarded me with questions, a crazy light in his eyes.

"No, he didn't say anything about that." I scooted my chair back a little. He was scaring me. "I should be going to bed soon."

"Yes... yes, you probably should." He leaned back and sighed. I got up and started to walk away, then I turned back.

"Hey, Hohenheim?" I got his attention.

"Yes?"

"You were not a good parent, but you still have the chance to make it up. I know that Ed is mad at you, but Al probably isn't mad." I said. He had a sad expression.

"They blame me, rightly, for their mother's death."

"Trisha's death wasn't your fault." I frowned. "She got sick and died. Unless you created the virus in some bio-lab and sent it to her, you weren't really related to her death. Sure, if you were there things may have been different, but I doubt it. You know how medicine in this time period is." I shrugged and left him to contemplate that.

. . . . . . . . . .

**Cutting this chapter short because I wanted to get it up while I still had free time.**

**See ya later!**

**~Rabbit**


	26. Proving Things

**I'm so sorry for any confusion, I hope this chapter will clear some things up a bit. ;_;**

**I put together a sort of collage of Lynn Grey. None of it is my original artwork (except for parts of the hair, which is why it looks crappy xD) ** art/Lynn-Grey-Collage-Fullmetal-Alchemist-OC-36392 3540?q=gallery%3Aroserabbitartwork&qo=0

**And Dreamer372 drew Lynn for me, too. ** art/Lynn-Grey-361776482

. . . . . . . . . .

"Ed, are you still asleep? Your father is leaving now!" Pinako called from the hall downstairs. I ignored her, not wanting to see the bastard off. He and Pinako started talking about something, then I heard the thump-thump-thump of Lynn rushing down the stairs.

"Bye bye, Hohenheim! Remember what I said!" She yelled after him. I stared out the window and saw her waving.

"Do not forget my words, as well!" He called back. She nodded. I lay back down on my bed and closed my eyes. What on earth was she playing at now? I'd have to ask her later. I sighed.

Oops.

Forgot to call Al with all that was going on.

I ran down the stairs, almost tripping over Den, who lay at the foot of the staircase. "Granny!" I called out. "Have you called Al?"

"Yeah, but it was before you had arrived. I told him Hohenheim and Lynn were here. And Ed, you missed your father's departure!" She scolded.

"And you almost missed breakfast." Lynn added, though her mouth was full so it came out like, "And foo awmost miss'd bwea'fsst."

"Mm, right." I sat down at the table and shoved a biscuit in my mouth. Granny Pinako brought out a plate of bacon, which Lynn immediately almost emptied (I grabbed some just in time). The rest of the meal was like that; a mad scramble for food, and a race to the end.

"You children are like starved animals," Pinako noted as we dug in.

After we were done, Lynn and I went for a walk. "I need to get used to the legs still." She said, and I nodded, following her.

"So what was that, this morning, when the bastard said not to forget his words?" I asked casually. Lynn paused, then explained.

"After you went to bed, I confronted Hohenheim about a suspicion I had. Turns out he has an evil clone who wants to do something bad to the country." She said.

"What?!" I spluttered. "What the hell-?!"

"I'm not sure what the plan is. He never mentioned anything about his plans when I met him, but-"

"You met this evil clone?! When?!" I grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. She faced me guiltily.

"You know how when we got back to Al I was going to come clean about all that stuff..." She said evasively, and I sighed.

"Alright, alright, whatever. Go on. But you promise you'll tell us?" I gave her the death stare. She nodded.

"Right, so He never said anything about his plans, but- Actually, now that I think about it, he mentioned to someone else there that I wouldn't be a good sacrifice.." She murmured, frowning in thought.

"Sacrifice?" My blood ran cold.

"Yeah. By the way, er, about the Fuhrer- He might be a homunculus. Be careful." She looked me dead in the eyes, and I paused. Then I began to laugh.

"That guy? No way!" I laughed harder, but then began to feel a little guilty when I saw her expression.

"Then how did he beat Greed?" She stared me down.

"But he has a son! Homunculi can't reproduce." I argued.

"Is the son truly his? Maybe his son is adopted." She responded triumphantly, knowing I couldn't come up with anything else. I groaned.

"Okay, okay, you win. So Hohenheim has an evil clone who wants to do something to country that involves sacrifices, the Fuhrer might be a homunculus, anything else?" I asked. It sounded ridiculous when I said it, but she seemed serious.

"Mustang called me about Maria Ross. What happened to her? She was innocent, you know." She looked scared to find out. I gave her a comforting smile.

"They smuggled her out of the country to Xing. Don't mention it to anyone, she's supposed to be dead. Mustang faked her death by burning a 'corpse'." I explained. She smiled in relief.

We walked in a companionable silence until we got back to Granny's.

"Ed, come here!" Lynn grabbed me by the hand and dragged me through the house. "Pinako, do you have a spare album?!" She yelled.

"Yeah, it's on the table!" Pinako yelled back. I was dragged to the kitchen, where Lynn grabbed the empty photo album. I was rather confused.

"I need you to transmute copies of a bunch of photos for me." Lynn said with a determined light in her eyes. "I want to make a photo album, and since I have no photos of my own, I need you to make copies." She grabbed some photos from the wall where they were pinned and spread them on the table. "Here's some paper. Will you transmute copies for me?" She looked at me with what I recalled to be the "puppy dog face", and I gave in.

"Alright, alright." I held up my hands in surrender, then smiled as she cheered. I clapped my hands and settings work.

. . . . . . . . . .

I stared out the window, depressing thoughts plaguing my mind. I didn't realize the ashes of my cigarette were about to fall until Breda held an ashtray under my cigarette to catch the ashes.

"They kindly allowed me to smoke one a day." I said, taking the cigarette out of my mouth. "Did she get free?" I asked, referring to Ross.

"Yeah, nothin' went wrong." Breda sat on the end of my bed and we both stared out the window.

"Have we heard at all from Lynn?" I asked. I'd been worried about her, but I had forgotten to ask Alphonse Elric about her when he and Fullmetal came to Central without her.

"The Fullmetal boss should be with her right about now." Breda looked thoughtful. "Speaking of the Fullmetal Boss, couldn't you get legs like his? Automail, wasn't it?"

"No, my nerves are shot, so there wouldn't be anything to connect the automail to." I glanced down at my legs. I had never really known how Lynn had felt about not being able to walk very well, and now I couldn't walk at all, never again.

"The retired life doesn't suit you." Breda muttered and left. I stared out the window once more, watching a little kid with one leg in a cast being helped around by his parent.

"I used to wheel Lynn around in a wheelchair. I guess our roles would be reversed now." I closed my eyes, willing the frustrated tears away.

Be strong, Jean. Be strong for Mustang. Be strong for Fuery, Hawkeye, Falman, and Breda. Be strong for the Elrics. Be strong for Lynn.

. . . . . . . . . .

"A time bomb?!"

"Yes. This body is not immortal, Ling." I stared at my hands. "Someday, my soul and this body will reject each other, like a time bomb. However, I don't know the time. Ten years from now? Tomorrow? A hundred years from now? In a minute? I don't know." I sat there numbly. I wasn't ready to feel the weight of my imminent death. The threat of breaking down from the stress was looming above me, but I would not leg it take hold. I'd be strong, even if it meant locking away my feelings for the moment.

"Then, if you don't get your body back soon-!" Winry began, but Ling interrupted.

"Wait a moment. If it ever came to a situation where being in that body got dangerous, you could just transfer the soul to something new and prolong your life even further. I mean, it's ideal. He doesn't have to eat, sleep, feel pain... Isn't that body convenient?" He gestured wildly with his hands while I froze. I struggled to keep my emotions in check, then was startled by Winry's outburst.

"It's not ideal, or convenient, or anything!" She stood, eyes glistening with tears and anger. "You don't understand!" Glancing around at the sudden silence, she looked even more upset and started walking away. "Excuse me."

She slammed her bedroom door shut. I got up and walked after her, knocking on her door. "Winry? Winry, please open the door. Winry? Winry? I'm coming in." I twisted the doorknob slowly and entered. Winry was sitting on her bed, face buried in a pillow she clutched to her chest.

Since she wasn't speaking and I wasn't capable of a reassuring facial expression, I settled on verbally lightening the mood. "Haha, I never get the chance to show my anger because Brother or Winry always get angry first." I chuckled softly.

"You're going to get your body back, no matter what." She reached up and grabbed my hand, looking up from the pillow. "You have to."

. . . . . . . . . .

"Hey, Granny?" Ed walked over to Pinako as I hugged my now-filled photo album gleefully. I paused to listen to the conversation, which seemed like it would not be pleasant. "I need to ask you a favor."

"What is it, Ed?" She turned to him curiously.

"Well," he began, and in ten minutes each of us were carrying a shovel, and Pinako had a pail of water, too. We walked out to the back of Ed's house. He was looking increasingly more nervous. I patted his back.

"We can go back any time, 'kay? It'll be fine." I murmured so only he could hear. He nodded.

"It's back here. I buried it right over here." Pinako said, pointing to one spot on the ground behind the charred rubble of Ed's house. He trembled, pale as snow, knuckles turning white from clenching the shovel.

"Why don't we stop for today?" I murmured anxiously.

"No. I have to do this." He stared at the ground while I watched the cloudy dark sky. It would rain soon, the grey clouds assured me of that.

It did rain, but we kept digging anyway. Edward doubled over and retched. I supported him by keeping a hand on his back, even though the vomit sickened me. Pinako gasped.

"Edward, we must stop! You've suffered excessive trauma already, your mental state right now isn't healthy!" She came over with a concerned, heartbroken look on her face.

Edward grabbed the handle of his shovel and used it to help himself stand. "No. Alchemists are people who pursue the truth, even if their stomachs feel like they're twisting into knots." He wiped his mouth with a determined but haunted light in his eyes. "I'm not going to run away!"

We dug for what felt like an eternity, and by then it had begun to rain. Edward eventually struck it, and we all looked down. It was nothing more than dirty bones now. Edward clenched a fist, looking sick again. I reached down and gently plucked some hair from the thing's skull and washed it in the bucket.

"You mother's hair," I murmured, recalling the photo albums. "was chestnut brown, wasn't it?" I lay the now-clean hair on the palm of my hand. I felt numb.

Edward walked over and took it from my open palm. "This hair is black!" His voice was anguished.

Pinako measured some of the bones and eyed the pelvis. "None of these are your mother's features." She paused. "This is not your mother."

His face: heartbroken, twisted with grief, not allowing himself a single tear. He sank to his knees and bent over.

To think that he sacrificed a leg and Al sacrificed his entire body for something that wasn't even a failure of their beloved mother- It was cruel. It was unfair.

It was how life went.

Then, Ed started laughing.

He was going mad.

"_Ahahaha! Hahahahahaha!" _He put his head in his hands suddenly, still chuckling. Pinako and I stared at him like he was crazy. "That's right." He muttered, pulling his head out of his hands and staring up at the raining sky. "The dead cannot be brought back to life. This is Truth. That taboo... why did I ever commit it?"

"Edward, be strong!" Pinako said, watching him warily.

"Keep yourself sane." I added nervously.

"Sane... I'm okay. From that day until now, this was just a symbol of our hopelessness, but now there is hope." He sat normally now, but I still didn't look into his eyes, afraid of what I'd find.

"What does that mean?" Pinako asked.

"Granny, this means that all along the means to an end was located at the beginning. Al-" He paused and looked directly at us. "Al can be returned to his original state."

. . . . . . . . . .

**Wanted to post this before the day was done.**

**Real life, y u so hectic?!**

**~Rabbit**


	27. Alphonse Is Alive

**School, y u no out yet?**

**I don't know why those links didn't work, but oh well.**

**And I'm sooooooo sooorrrryyyyyy! Thank you so much, Shiningheart of the Thunderclan, I went back and reread the chapter and realized that I only was able to tell who was "speaking" because I wrote it. I'll definitely try and fix that from now on.**

* * *

**Edward Elric**

"Curtis residence, Izumi speaking."

"It's Edward." I said.

"Ah, Ed! What's up? How's Lynn?" The last bit had a menacing tone attached to it. I winced.

"She's napping. We're good now, so don't worry." I glanced down at the snoozing girl. She had a book covering her face and drool was leaking from her mouth in a comical way. Her head rested in my lap, silver hair spread all over. I almost chuckled. She had insisted in reading some "Good ol' Amestrian literature" and had fallen asleep with her head in my lap.

"That's good. Is there something in particular that you needed?" Sensei asked curiously. I winced again. This would be the hard part.

"I wanted to ask you something. This question... it might be painful, so if you don't want to answer, just hang up. It's okay if you break our bond as master and pupil." I paused. Actually, that might be kind of sad.

"Just get on with it." Sensei interrupted, sounding rather impatient.

"D-do you remember when you transmuted your child?" I asked.

A pause. "I will never forget it." Her voice came through a little quieter than normal. "Why?"

"The 'mom' that Al and I transmuted wasn't actually Mom." I said.

"What are you trying to say?" She sounded a little confused and/or suspicious. I took a deep breath.

"Was the child you transmuted really your child?"

A long pause.

Then-

SLAM.

I held the phone away from my ear at the sudden noise. She had hung up. Very loudly. Sensei was probably upset at me now.

* * *

**Lynn Grey**

"Pinako! I called out as I ran through the house. "Pinako!" I looked in all the rooms, but Pinako and Edward were gone. I double checked the rooms again just to make sure they weren't playing some sick game of hide-and-seek, but instead I found a note.

_"Went to visits Uncle and Auntie Rockbell's graves with Granny. Will be back soon. -Ed."_

I swore. I had woken up on the couch; definitely not where I had apparently fallen asleep. I was resting with my head in Ed's lap, right? The last thing I remember was reading some stuff about a cat monster and a hero trying to slay it and thinking, "Damn, this is weird." I had woken up because I had to use the bathroom and realized that there was blood leaking from the automail ports. Apparently this was automails' way of saying, "What the hell were you thinking, doing all that crazy stuff?! I wasn't ready!"

Well, screw you, unready automail. I'm doing crazy stuff anyway.

I searched the house for some bandages, which I eventually found in a back room with some other medical supplies. I took off my pants, wrapped the gauze around the part of my legs where metal met flesh, and sighed. This could impair me a little, but I definitely wouldn't let it stop me. I'm going to fight this time.

I proceeded to take a nap on the lovely couch. When I woke, Ed was walking through the house rather loudly, complaining about packing. I threw a throw pillow at him.

"Quit your whining!" I called over, then flashed him a grin as I sat up and stretched.

"I'll do what I please!" He called back, but he was grinning, I could tell by the tone in his voice. I decided to pack, too, and headed to my room. Ed stopped by to tell me we were departing on the morrow, so I layed out an outfit and folded the rest of my clothes and such things up nicely and shoved them in a suitcase. Ed and I stacked our suitcases by the door so we could grab them and go the next day.

Pinko served us bacon (yay!), eggs, biscuits, and mashed potatoes for dinner, causing me to squeal a horribly girly squeal of delight. Edward practically did the same thing, he just stopped himself during the squeal because, according to him, squeals aren't manly.

"Squeals are manly!" I cried out indignantly in between bites of bacon. I felt the need to defend squeals for some reason.

"So you're manly for squealing?" He raised an eyebrow and shoveled some mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"Hey! Are you questioning my manliness?" I gave him what I hoped passed off as a death glare.

"Nope, just questioning your sanity." He grinned and reached for a biscuit. I slapped his hand and grabbed the one he had been eyeing. I smirked at his annoyance.

The rest of the meal continued like that until the pie was brought out, at which point I decided that shoveling pie in my mouth was much better than bickering with Ed.

The next day, I woke up to the sound of sizzling bacon (do these people have an endless supply?!) and Edward complaining about something again. I yawned and paut on some pants, my Epic Purple Shirt, and my hoodie. I put the gun in a holster that Ed had made for me after he copied the pictures. He almost always frowned when he saw the gun, but that time he just sort of nodded and moved on with life.

"Pinako, can you hold on to that photo album for me until I get back?" I yelled as I ran down the stairs.

"Sure!" She yelled back. Edward greeted me by dumping the entire plate of bacon in his mouth and eating it, causing me to almost faint from the shock (not really, but the bacon!).

The train ride was pretty boring, no hijackers or anything to keep me entertained. I was going to tell Edward the story of the monkey's paw, but I thought that might put a damper on things so I decided to draw him instead.

Of course, the fact that I didn't have a pencil or paper didn't help very much.

"Ed, can you transmute me a pencil and some paper?" I asked.

"Sure, why?"

"My artistic abilities might get rusty if I don't practice." I grinned. He just shook his head (as if mentally saying "She's completely hopeless") and transmuted my desired tools. I proceeded to sketch Alphonse as I remembered him. His "eyes" seemed to stare up at me happily from the paper. I felt a pang of...homesickness? and I switched to drawing Winry. She beamed up from the paper, holding a wrench up like she was going to hit a baseball with it. Did they have baseball in Amestris?

Shaking my head to clear that thought away, I noticed that Ed had fallen asleep. I got an idea. Pulling out another sheet of paper (he had gotten quite a lot), I proceeded to draw his sleeping form. After that, I drew him grinning. I grinned right back at his 2D likeness.

We got to Central a while later. Ed hadn't woken up yet, so I rolled up the drawings, tied them with a loose string pulled from my clothes, and shook him awake.

"Come on, lazybones, time to go see your brother and co." I grinned as he sat up and stretched.

"My bones are anything but lazy." Edward frowned, then yawned. I grabbed my suitcase.

"Winry, Alphonse, here we come!" I dashed off the train, Ed swearing blearily behind me.

We got to Al and Winry's hotel a little while later after running around Central like crazy people. Ed walked in, all calm like, while I just braced myself against the wall, tired from all that moving. Winry, who was conveniently in the lobby for some reason, flipped out and started shoving Edward up towards their room. Ed tossed me a checkbook as I sighed and wrote what I believed was a nice, large sum (I hadn't quite grasped the financial workings of this country yet) out for the desk guy. Winry and Ed had already gone upstairs, so I sighed again and clunked up the stairs.

"Ling? Lan Fan? What are you two doing?" I asked the pair who happened to be sitting in the hallway in front of Al and Winry's hotel rooms.

"Ed kicked us out." Ling said cheerily. Lan Fan said nothing, but she didn't look upset.

I opened the door and saw Edward talking to Al, who was REALLY BUSTED UP.

"What the f-?!" I started, but Al held up his remaining hand.

"I was about to explain what happened. Sit down and I'll tell you all everything." He said shortly. I winced. He was in a bad mood...

Alphonse told us about what had happened while we were gone. He started with what happened when Ed was here and I wasn't, for my sake, but then he moved on to the important stuff. Including, but not limited to, Lust (a homunculus) dying, Jean Havoc getting stabbed in the back and losing the ability to walk (Al had to stop telling the story for a few minutes because I couldn't stop crying), and Al's imminent death by body-rejection (another round of sobbing). I felt like a wimp, but Winry held my hand and whispered that it was okay, she had cried, too, when she learned about Al's impending demise.

Once my emotions had died down enough for me to be able to think coherently, Ed fixed Al's armor. Then he decided to make the announcement.

"I dug up the thing we resurrected." He began grimly, and kept talking, even though Winry tried to interrupt him. "It wasn't Mom."

Al sat down on the bed. Hard. His hands slowly lifted to his helmet, as if to clutch his head. "But... wait... then..." He stuttered.

"I confirmed that I can get your body back." Edward finished grimly.

"Really?!" Winry and Al yelled. I grinned triumphantly. A solution for the boys was in sight!

"I have a question for the two of you.." Ed said hesitantly, an embarrassed blush creeping on his face. "Remember the time when we... you know... fought over... whowouldmarryWinry?" He finished really quickly. I raised an eyebrow. What was this now?

"Yeah, didn't we talk about it on the roof of the hospital or the medical ward or something?" Al looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Oh, right, we were, like, five years old or so, right?" Winry mused.

"I heard from Al that you rejected us both." Edward was beet red.

"Yeah, I did." Winry said.

"Why?" Edward asked.

Al and Winry looked at each other for a moment, then said in unison, "I don't date people shorter than me."

Ed died.

Well, not really, but he made a big show of it. "Don't judge people's worth by their height!" He shrieked. I barely contained my laughter as he started throwing insults at Winry. The insults weren't that bad, because they were friends, but it was still funny.

"Why do you ask?" Winry asked.

"I wanted to confirm that Al remembers things that I don't know. Anything else?" He said, reverting to serious mode.

"Do you remember that time we drew on his face while he was sleeping?" Winry turned to Al. "Or the time we snuck worms in his sandwhich? And we filled his boxer shorts with bugs that one time.."

"Yeah. Oh, and there was one time when he accidentally pushed you down the stairs, so I helped you bury him in the dirt so that only his head was above ground." Al nodded thoughtfully.

"That's right, Thomas and Richardo helped us with that, didn't they?" Winry nodded, too.

"Please, no more.." Ed looked depressed. I swear, mushrooms were growing on his head and he looked like that guy from the "The Scream" painting, but he wasn't clutching his face. I burst out laughing.

After a moment where I calmed down, Winry supressed laughter, and Ed recovered from "trauma" and embarrassment and put his serious face back on, he explained his theory.

"So, the fact that you have memories from when we were kids that I don't have proves that the thing that I attached to your armor was really your soul." Edward reasoned. "So, if you don't have a brain, where did your memories from then on go?"

"Er.." Al thought for a moment. "My new memories would be stored in here, right?" He lifted off his helmet and pointed to the blood seal.

"That symbol's sole purpose is to bind your soul to the armor. Therefore, Al's body is still living somewhere and the brain is still working." Ed said triumphantly.

"That's right! Barry the Chopper's body still existed somewhere else!" Al exclaimed.

"In alchemy, humans have three things: body, soul, and mind. I believe that the mind is the thing that connects the body and soul." Edward stated.

"The body and soul are attracted to each other because of the mind..." Al realized, a metal glove pressed to his face, showing deep concentration and thought. Winry and I watched them admiringly.

"So, on the day Al was taken-" I murmured. I stopped when all three of them looked at me. "What?"

"Why did you say 'taken' just now?" Edward asked.

"Well, his body was taken by Truth, right? It's not like he died. A part of him was just...taken. You said it yourself just now kind of." I said defensively. Edward beamed. Winry was just looking more and more confused, having never heard the full story. I had a suspicion that the only reason why I knew the full story was A) I had been traveling with them a lot, and B) I had encountered Truth at one point and I just had blocked the memory like Al had. I mean, that was why I could speak their language, right? It was obvious it wasn't English.

"The reason why Al's body was taken was not because it was a material needed to transmute Mom, but because it was a fee to pass through the gate. I then used my arm as the fee to pull out your soul. Mom is dead. Gone. Never coming back. It is impossible to pull something nonexistent like that through the gate. Since I was able to get Al out, it's proof that he's still alive somewhere. I reached my hand out, but I couldn't reach something that appeared to be Mom. When you reached your hand out, Al, what did you see?" Edward was saying. I listened intently. All this talk about the gate could help me realize/remember/learn how I got here.

"I grabbed hands with 'me'! I was able to reach something, and it was me!" Al stared down at his hands in shock. "Mom wasn't there!"

"That's right. If you joined hands, then you're still there!" I smiled happily, but the smile fell from my face at Al's next statement.

"I remember... the day we committed the taboo... I watched you, briefly, from the thing that we thought would be Mom!"

"...It was a fortune in a series of unfortunate events that your soul didn't fixate to that." Edward said with a sorrowful expression on his face. "Now that I think about it, that was probably a rejection."

"So... it wasn't Mom." Al said quietly.

"I won't ask you to forgive me, Al. I got you into this mess and forced you into a walking time bomb of a body, and the result- it wasn't even Mom." Edward stared at the floor. "I'm-"

_Knock, knock._

I swore inside my head and got up to open the room door.

"You, my friend, have just interrupted something incredibly important. I hope that whatever you have to say is almost as, if not equally, important." I glowered at the now incredibly nervous employee of the hotel.

"Er, th-th-there's a c-call for a Mr. Elric f-fr-from an Izumi C-Curtis." He stammered in a squeaky voice.

"That's important." Edward said after shooting me a look that was a mixture between confusion, gratitude, and dread. The dread was probably about whatever his sensei had to say. I stepped away from the doorway, and Edward strode down the hall so he could go to the lobby and receive the call. The employee had to go get a change of pants.

* * *

**Edward Elric**

"Hello? Sensei?" I took the phone from the desk-man's hand.

"I got the number from Pinako. I did research on mine and Sig's family lines... When I transmuted our baby, I used my husband's hair, my blood, and the child's bones. The child that was transmuted had skin and hair color that was impossible for the two of us to have produced in a child. What have you uncovered this time?" Her voice was grim.

"A dead person, who is certainly and irrevocably dead, cannot be revived. Ever. I'm sure of it." I spoke with certainty.

"I see. My perfect equations and circle were all void, huh? How's that for a sensei losing credibility." She gave a sad little laugh.

"I'm sorry, Sensei." I said sadly.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

She hung up.

I stared down at the phone. Shaking my head in confusion, I started towards the staircase and bumped into Al.

"How is she?" He asked, worry plain in his voice. That's right, I hadn't told him about my call to Sensei.

"I don't know, but she said 'Thanks'." I said, walking past him up the staircase, expecting him to follow.

"Brother?" Al called after me. His voice had gone a little vulnerable-sounding. I froze, then turned back.

"What is it?" I asked softly. Something was upsetting him.

"Ever since that day, that day when we tried to transmute Mom, I'd always been thinking that we had brought Mom back to life and killed her all over again!" He exclaimed, shaking, covering his face with his hands, as if tears would leak from the metal holes in his helmet that contained those bright sparks of life. "Thank you, Brother, for telling me that we didn't bring her back. Now I know that I didn't- I didn't kill Mom!"

I stared down at him sadly, pushing tears away myself. I had felt that pain, too. I worried that we had killed her again, that we had brought her to life only to make her suffer and die once more. Now, I knew why Sensei had said that. She must've been feeling about her child what Al and I felt about our mother.

"...Even...Even if I haven't killed Mom, I still put you in that metal body, Al. It's not something that can ever be forgiven. Until I get your body back, I won't-"

"Brother," Al stopped me in my tracks. "Part of the blame lies on me. Don't carry that burden all by yourself. It's hard to look at someone with that much on their shoulders. At one point, I thought, 'It doesn't matter if I don't get my body back if it'll cause people like Mr. Hughes to die.' The people around me- Lynn, you, Winry, Colonel Mustang, Granny, everyone- They all treat me like a person, but, even with all that, Lynn can't stay up with me all night and still function right in the morning. I've seen the bags under her eyes. I would never put that burden on her, but I don't want to be alone at night. I want to feel the grass under my bare feet, and eat Winry's apple pie, and sleep and cry and give you hugs without hurting you. I want- I want my body back!" He shook. I smiled sadly.

"I just want to see you smile again." I said truthfully. I would give anything to see him smile. I wouldn't sacrifice myself, of course. Not because I'm clinging to life or I wouldn't die for my brother. That's not it at all. I just know that if I sacrificed myself, he would carry guilt around for the rest of his life, believing that it was all his fault. He would also be alone. I don't want that to happen. Never will I allow that.

"I don't want anyone else to get involved, though." Al said, his fists unclenching. "I won't let anyone get hurt as a result of me trying to get my body back."

"No time to be worried!" I lightened the mood. "We'll protect everyone, kick Truth's ass, and get your body back!" Grinning grimly, I started up the stairs. Al followed.

We'd do it all.

Maybe we'd even have time to have some of Winry's pie.

* * *

**Roy Mustang**

"Damn, you were too late. It must've been a homunculus. I heard that there was one who can change his appearance, it must've been him." I sat in a chair outside Havoc's hospitable room, still bandaged and wearing a hospital-gown-thing with pants. Heymans Breda had just returned from trying to get a "Doctor Marcoh" to give us his Philosopher's Stone so we could heal Havoc and maybe even get Alphonse's body back if we were sneaky enough about it. Unfortunately, the doctor had been kidnapped by a Breda-look-alike.

"That's sick." Breda looked disgusted. "I'm sorry, but I can't move freely anymore. I've used up all my sick days for the year."

"We're in a deadlock." I looked at the floor grimly. If I couldn't use any of my men to get information anymore...

Wait, Lynn still has that military uniform somewhere. If we could get her to investigate, she could probably get some information by using the ruse that she's in the military. People listen to soldiers.

What the hell am I thinking? Lynn Grey is a civilian. A civilian with messed up legs. A civilian whose priority was probably keeping the Elrics safe, not being my pawn. Even if she wanted to be of use, she can't really move much anyway.

"Excuse us." A man in a military uniform came out of Havoc's room, leading away a weeping woman. Curious, I stood up and walked into Havoc's room.

"Who..?"

"My mom and a guy from the retirement department." Havoc answered my half-spoken question from his bed.

"Retire-?!" I started speaking again, but this time it was he who interrupted me, not me who stopped speaking.

"The official story is that I was hurt while trying to seize a group of detention center attackers." He said without emotion.

"Wh-what're you going to do once you retire?" Breda asked, a little in shock.

"My family runs a General Store in the rural East. I can probably answer phones and stuff for them."

"It's not decided that you won't heal!" I interrupted desperately.

"I'm not so stupid as to think that I can still be of use. A pawn that can't move is not needed by the army." He stared up at me, a haunted look in his eyes.

"I can't accept it." I gritted my teeth. He closed his eyes.

"What do you expect me to do with these legs? Braces won't help, since I can't move them at all anyway."

"But.."

"Stop... stop looking at me like that!" His hand grabbed the front of my shirt suddenly, yanking me off balance. "Why don't you just throw me out?! Leave me here! You don't have the time to care for some underling! Don't you have to keep the promise you made to Hughes?!" Breda had grabbed his arm and was trying to get him to let go. I couldn't hear what he was saying. I was focused on Jean, my friend, who had the eyes of someone who was going through a terrible struggle. "Look at me. I have to be supported just to get the top half up properly." His face was anguished. "I don't need your sympathy. Cut me off. Just... just let me give up. Please." His grip on my shirt lessened as his fury abated. I paused.

"Fine. I'll leave you." I paused again. Havoc gritted his teeth, not looking at me. "I'll leave you here, so you'd better catch up. I'm going. I'll be waiting for you at the top." I turned and left the room, not looking back. I managed to walk steadily until I reached the hallway. I collapsed in a chair, clutching my side in pain. Hawkeye came to me with concern written all over her pretty face.

"Your wounds will open. Please don't force yourself." She said softly.

"Get me my uniform." It was high time I got back to work. There was no time for me to sit in a hospital, doing goddamn nothing.

"But, sir-"

"Get it." I gave her a determined look. She paused, looking conflicted.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

**Whew, that's done. Sorry about the wait.**

**~Rabbit**


	28. You're Short Because Of Al

**I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. A certain cow has that privilege.**

**(not insulting Hiromu Arakawa, she just draws herself like that)**

* * *

**Lynn Grey**

Al spoke up suddenly.

"What if it's decomposing?!"

Everyone stared at him, not grasping the full meaning of his statement.

"Even if my body's there, it hasn't been sleeping or absorbing nutrients- What good will it be if I turn out like Barry the Chopper's body?!"

"Ed!" Winry and I turned to him, panic consuming us.

"Hmm." Ed looked deep in thought. "It's just a theory- When Al and I transmuted Mom, we used both of our blood as a replacement for the soul, right?"

"Right." Al said.

"And later, both of us were sent to the other side and separated from our body parts. So maybe it's possible that mine and Al's souls were mixed together. Al's soul on the other side got mixed with my soul on this side. Look-" Edward continued, this next part looking hard for him to say. "Every year my height is very-"

He paused.

"Very-"

We all were at the edge of our seats.

"...very small." He admitted, looking depressed.

"So...Al is taking Ed's growth? That's weird." Winry crossed her arms.

"There's nothing weird about it!" Edward retorted.

"The reason you're not growing is probably because you don't drink enough milk." Winry said bluntly.

"Enough about milk!" Edward yelled.

"HEY!" I interrupted. Ed and Winry stopped arguing. "Calm down. There are other people in this hotel." I gave them the evil eye and they had the decency to look sheepish. "Now, back to the 'Ed-is-linked-with-Al' thing. It makes sense. Edward sleeps all the freaking time, so maybe he's sleeping for Al, too. Edward also eats a lot, which would show that he's eating for Al and himself. It's too bad about Edward's height, though." I shook my head. "A darn shame."

"You should drink more milk." Al said solemnly.

"And it's back to milk again!" Edward threw his hands in the air in frustration.

"You know, a quick temper can be a sign of mineral deficiencies..." Al said, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Edward hit him.

"I am _so_ growing taller. Just you wait. Screw milk!" He proclaimed angrily. I chuckled.

"Speaking of screws, Mr. Garfiel is probably worried about you. Bunny probably misses your company, too. You're fun to be around." I grinned at Winry, who smiled in a way that I couldn't decipher when I mentioned Bunny.

"I should probably go pack up so I can go back soon." She stretched and left the room. There was a pause before Ed and Al resumed their conversation. I stretched out on a couch.

"How will we open the gate to get my body back? If we had some sort of fee..." Al wondered thoughtfully.

"What can we sacrifice this time..." Edward glanced down at his remaining arm.

"Hell to the no. Don't even go there, Edward. I know what you're thinking. 'What's another arm and leg worth, eh?' Well, bullshit. No more suffering for you." I glared. He smiled sheepishly.

"Brother, you promised that we'd get both our bodies back! Don't sacrifice yourself again! I hate that!" Al slammed his hands on the table. He was really upset. Edward raised his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, Al. It's a promise. I swear." He smiled sadly. I nodded with satisfaction. No more self-sacrificing attitude out of Edward.

"I guess we need the Philosopher's Stone." Al muttered.

"But we'd be sacrificing human lives." Edward sighed, flopping down on the bed. Then he sat up again.

"Lynn. Remember how we were discussing the clone of Hohenheim, and how you'd met him, and you'd tell me when we met up with Al again?"

I groaned. "Yeah."

"Spill."

"Alright. Al, I recently learned that the person who held me captive when I went missing in Dublith is an evil clone of your dad. Don't say anything, I know it's stupid sounding, but hear me out. During the Fuhrer's fight with Greed, Greed tried to use me as a human shield. The Fuhrer cut through my legs like they were swiss cheese. I passed out and awoke in a cell. The people who held me captive..." I paused, turning pale, shoving memories away with a mental brick wall. "They wanted to know how I got here. They wanted to know how to 'world jump'. At one point I'm pretty sure they killed Greed, because I heard him laughing and screaming,and then the laughing and screaming was cut off. I don't think Greed knew that the Fuhrer was a homunculus, but I think that he is. How else would he be able to hold his own against Greed? He's sixty years old. Normally, old people aren't that good at fighting. And he was fighting a _homunculus_, for Pete's sake!" I stopped to take a breath. Edward was watching me seriously.

"You told me that they said that you wouldn't be a good sacrifice. Well, back when I was in the fifth lab, I heard the homunculi say that I would be a good sacrifice, and that it would be troublesome if I died." Edward frowned in thought.

"Yeah, Lust said that they needed a sacrifice to open the Gate." Al added.

"I remember that a human sacrifice had to have opened the Gate and returned. Lynn must not have qualified because she didn't remember her time there. You wouldn't have, either, Al, but now you do. I had qualified since we transmuted Mom. What could they be planning to do with the Gate once they use sacrifices to open it? Who commands the homunculi? Who created them? The Fuhrer obviously wouldn't have not noticed this threat by now, which only supports Lynn's theory that he's a homunculus. The Fuhrer wouldn't have been the one who created the homunculi or commands them, since Greed apparently didn't know about him. Is the military involved in all of this? Maybe. GAH, THIS IS CONFUSING." Edward rolled around on his bed like a wiggly worm.

"We could go scouting for information." I mused. Before we could make another move, we heard a knock at the door. I stood up, walked over there, and opened it.

"Edw- Oh! Lynn!" Brosh blurted, a surprised look on his face.

"I'm back and ready for action." I grinned. "Come on in. What's up?"

"Scar is alive." He said grimly, walking in the room, saluting to Ed, and handing the brothers a file. Edward's eyes widened while reading it.

"An Ishvalan with tattoos on his arm.." Edward snarled. Al and I shot each other a look. Brosh suddenly realized how easily I was walking around.

"Your legs-" He began.

"I got automail." I grinned. Brosh gaped, then smiled.

"Good to see you're on your feet." He looked so pleased for me. My grin grew wider.

"Gee, Lynn, smile any bigger and your face will tear." Al got up and patted my head. Edward shoved the file in his pocket.

"Thanks for the info." He nodded to Brosh, who saluted again and left.

"Scar might've killed Winry's parents." Edward stated bluntly once Brosh was gone.

"What?" I blanched.

"We can't tell Winry!" Al blurted, hands fluttering nervously.

"Yeah. I don't want to see her cry." Ed glared at the ground, then he looked up again. I could see an idea forming on his face.

"I know a way we can trick the homunculi out of hiding so we can confront them about their plan, _and_ we can learn whether Scar killed Winry's parents or not!" He proclaimed.

"How?" I asked.

"Well, the homunculi can't let me die. It would be bothersome. So of course they would interfere if I was attacked by Scar..." Edward grinned.

"Oh hell no! You guys almost died last time! How would we even catch a homunculus if it showed up, anyway?! Those bastards are strong!" I glared at Edward.

"Hey, guys! I heard everything!" The windows suddenly burst open. Ling and Lan Fan were leaning through the window, probably dangling their legs around outside since we were not on the first floor. "Need my help in the upcoming battle?"

"What're you scheming, squinty eyed bastard?" Edward glared with a grin on his face. I glared at Edward for real.

"Edward Elric. Don't go all racist on me. I'll kick your ass." I said bluntly. Edward winced and Ling gave me a thumbs-up. Then we got back to business.

"Truth is, I want to learn all about the homunculi. All we have to do is be near their location and we'll be able to find them. You lure them out, and we'll chase after them and catch them. Whaddaya think?" He grinned with an "aren't-I-amazing?" smirk on his face.

"Cooperation, huh? Not bad. But you can't run away with the homunculus." Edward gave Ling the stink eye.

"We'll keep our promise. I owe you a one meal debt." Ling smiled as Edward looked confused. A slip of white under the table caught my eye, and I bent over and picked it up. I almost burst out laughing.

"Edward, I found Ling's room service bill." I gave it to him, and he looked at it and had a heart attack (almost). I laughed as he yelled at Ling.

"SHUT UP!" Winry burst in the room and I snapped my mouth shut immediately. Edward looked ashamed, Ling looked like he was just surprised, like "oh-look-it's-Winry". Al was Al and Lan Fan wore a mask, so I couldn't tell what they were thinking. "I need my beauty sleep!" Winry yelled.

"Oh, that's right, you're leaving for Rush Valley tomorrow." Edward said. I thought of Scar's previous destruction of Ed's arm and blanched.

"Winry, er, maybe you should stay a little while. You know, Ed's arm might get broken." I paused thoughtfully. "Actually, it's certain to get broken. So stay. Please."

"You're_ planning_ to break it?!" Winry reached in her pajama pocket and slung a wrench at Ed's head. The wrench, true to its reputation, did not miss its target.

We would find ourselves in a very different situation the next day.

* * *

**Okay, so there will be action in the next chapter. Sorry about the filler.**

**And GOING TO SEE IRON MAN 3 TODAY.**


	29. Part One Of Ed's (Stupid) Plan

**I AM SOO SOOOOOO SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY. Last week or two of school were rough. Lots of testing and little free time to write. I appreciate your patience (although, who knows, maybe you're upset with me. I understand. I'd be upset with me, too xD)**

**I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. **

* * *

**Lynn Grey**

"ACHOOO!" Edward sneezed. I handed him a paper napkin to use as a tissue.

"Seems like the whole street is talking about you." I gave him a look from over the newspaper I was reading. It was just what they wanted. All day Edward had been fixing people's stuff for free, trying to get Scar's attention. He even proclaimed his state alchemist status from the top of a tall telephone post.

"Hopefully Scar will hear and come out and attack us. Then the homunculi will come, and we can get some answers." Edward leaned back in his chair. We were sitting outside a cafe at a small table. I was pretending to read the newspaper, my gun in its holster, worrying about Edward and Scar and Alphonse and _please please please don't let them die, don't let Scar kill them-_

Woah. Calm down. Breathe. S'all good.

I was wearing my military uniform so people wouldn't question the gun at my hip, and my long, grey hair was in a ponytail so it wouldn't get in the way of the fighting. Edward wore his normal clothing, and Al was a suit of armor, as usual. I folded the newspaper up, sick of looking at the black words, insignificant things, compared to Edward and Alphonse's possible death at the hands of a vengeance-thirsty criminal with destructive powers.

A black military car pulled up in the road next to our table. Ed, Al, and I turned to look at it. Edward's expression turned from curiosity to annoyance as he saw none other than Colonel Mustang in the back seat.

"Quit messing around, Fullmetal." Mustang said imperiously. He glanced at me. "And welcome back, Grey. I trust you're well?"

"Got automail legs." I grinned at his shocked expression. He noticed my noticing him being shocked and went back to a nonchalant expression, making me grin even wider.

Edward got up from the table to lean on the car and speak to Mustang through the window. I couldn't hear much of what was said, but I caught the words "Ross", "shitty colonel" (of course, knowing Edward), "Havoc", "Doctor", and "information". Edward came back over to Al and I.

"The colonel wants us to get in the car and exchange information. Wanna come?" Edward said. He shoved the remainder of his food into his mouth while Al and I thought about it.

"Sure." Al said.

"Um, I'm not trying to be a killjoy or anything, but do you honestly think that all of us will fit in that car?" I eyed the car suspiciously. This wasn't the world of Harry Potter. There was no secret enlargement spell inside the car. Alphonse would crush everyone in the back seat. Mustang turned a little red. I guess he hadn't thought of that.

About twenty minutes, one ground hug (I swear I didn't trip, the pavement was just in need of some affection), and two car trips made by Hawkeye later, all of us were standing outside an abandoned building, holding awesome sketches of the homunculi and others (made by Armstrong and yours truly based off of Ed's descriptions). There were also notes and reports and glob knows what else that had to do with the whole mess.

"The whereabouts of Marco and his Philosopher's Stone are unknown. It's probable that the homunculi got to him first." Mustang said grimly.

Edward swore. "When Doctor Marco was in the military, he did some research in Ishval about the Philosopher's Stone, right? Philosopher's Stone, homunculi, the military's secret squad, Ishval... Is there some sort of connection? What happened in Ishval?"

Mustang looked depressed for a minute, but then he subtly changed the subject. "Speaking of Ishval, Scar is here. Fullmetal," his voice got that scolding tone, "you've been attracting attention to yourself all day. Do you want him to kill you?!"

"I'm waiting for him. I need a rematch." Edward said blandly.

"Why?!" Mustang sounded like Edward had gone crazy. I couldn't blame him. "Don't you remember East City?"

"Oh? Is Scar too scary? That's right, itty bitty Mustang was useless and was all talk, wasn't he?" Edward leered. I almost snorted with laughter, and would have, too, if not for the fact that _fucking Scar could show up any fucking moment_.

Sorry. Nerves.

Where were we?

Oh, that's right, Edward was teasing Mustang about being a "coward" and Mustang was yelling at him for being reckless.

Suddenly, Hawkeye pulled her gun out. I followed suit, glancing down the alley to see what had gotten her spooked.

It had to be Scar, of course.

I was as pale as milk. Edward and Mustang were sweating with nervousness.

"Got him right where you want him, eh, Fullmetal?" Mustang teased angrily, looking anxious.

"Is that sweat I detect on your forehead?" Edward snarked back.

Hawkeye raised her gun to fire. I pushed her arm down, shaking my head. She looked at me with astonishment all over her face.

"It's part of Edwards motherfu- er, it's part of Ed's plan." I said, my expression cool and collected and my hands shaking like leaves in the wind.

Then Scar attacked.

He slammed his hand on the ground, making it crack and shake. We dodged some chunks of the pavement I had face planted on- er, lovingly embraced- earlier. Edward lunged after Scar as Alphonse explained the plan to Mustang. I chased after Ed and Scar, firing warning shots around Scar's feet. Alphonse followed me and joined the fight soon after. Mustang and Hawkeye weren't there, I didn't know where they went.

Scar punched the air right next to Edward's face, missing him by a hair. I glowered. Fuck not shooting Scar. One bullet to the shoulder wouldn't immobilize him _that_ badly, would it?

Of course, Edward promptly bolted away from Scar, leading him down another alley. Alphonse was blocking the military men from shooting at Scar, pretending to fear that Ed would get shot, while I dashed after Scar and Ed. I heard Al's clanking feet as he began to run behind me.

Scar had Ed cornered again. Edward threw a few punches, while Scar destroyed the ground around Edward, chunks of earth and pavement flying everywhere. It was going well until a rather large chunk hit Ed on the head, knocking him to the ground. He groaned, still conscious, but he was dizzy, I could tell. Scar lunged. I raised my gun and fired, hitting Scar in the arm. He turned on me.

"Weren't you in a wheelchair the last time I saw you?" He asked, puzzled, but still looking deadly. He also looked angry that I had shot him in the arm. His left arm, mind you. I hadn't messed with the complex tattoos that had been shown when he spun around to look at me. His cloak had moved, and I saw that the arm that did all the destruction had tattoos all up it.

"Don't you touch Edward." I glared. Alphonse clapped his hands and sent alchemy-made fists up from the ground at Scar, who destroyed them easily. He lunged at Edward again, only to be stopped by a wall made by none other than the persistent Alphonse.

"You heard her, Scar." Al was menacing. "Don't touch my brother."

I let them fight some more, knowing that Scar wasn't really trying to kill Al, just get him out of the way. I walked around the wall to Edward and knelt beside him quickly.

"Ed, how are ya doin', buddy? You've gotta get up now, the homunculi will be here soon, I'm sure." I shook him gently. He groaned, then his eyes focused on me.

"I feel," he paused to lick blood off his lips, "like Winry has just hit me with a ten ton wrench."

"Yeah, well, Winry _will_ hit you with a ten ton wrench if you don't recover. So get up." I stood, then held out a hand to him. "Please?"

He paused, shook his head to clear it, and clasped my hand. I pulled him up. A pause. He let go. The alchemy-made wall behind us exploded.

I was mostly focused on the fact that he didn't let go of my hand immediately.

* * *

**Winry Rockbell**

"I don't know why people keep leaving."

I was standing in front of Maes Hughes' grave with Miss Gracia and little Elicia. I hated to trouble the woman, but Gracia was too much like a mother. She was kind, considerate, thoughtful, and wanted to know what I had to say.

"It was the same with my parents, you know?" I continued, sorrow written on my face. "They told me that they'd be right back, that I had to be a good girl and stay in the house and be safe, but then they left for Ishval and never returned. My last memory of them is their backs as they walked away. I may now be confusing Mr. Hughes' back with my father's back, but that is only because you all feel like family to me. You and Elicia and Mr. Hughes. I cannot get them back; my mother and father, but I will at least try to keep my remaining family. You and Elicia and Ed and Al and Granny and Lynn-" My voice broke. I took a deep breath and composed myself. Elicia took my hand and smiled up at me. I smiled back, though my smile was sad. We lingered a little longer before moving away from Hughes's grave and towards the cemetery gates.

"Come back sometime, won't you?" Gracia smiled at me sadly. "I'm afraid that he gets lonely."

"I will," I promised, and then I left.

I walked around town for a bit until I overheard some people talking. I wouldn't have bothered to listen in on their conversation, but when you hear the words "Edward Elric" "state alchemist" "fight" and "state alchemist killer", it's a bit hard to ignore them.

I dashed off to find them, worry coating my expression and thoughts. I really, really hoped that they were okay.

They had to be okay.

* * *

**GUESS WHO GOT TO COSPLAY AS EDWARD ELRIC FOR A SCHOOL PROJECT**

**THAT'S RIGHT**

**ME**

**I'll try and type up more story asap, but I have two other fanfics to update, too.**

**~Rabbit**


	30. Part Two of Ed's (Stupid) Plan

**I saw Star Trek Into Darkness. It was epic.**

**MY SCHOOL MAILED ME SUMMER HOMEWORK. LIKE WHYYYYYYY**

**Going to be gone for 1 week in July, days 7-12, I think. Overnight band camp!**

- line break -

**Lynn Grey**

The battle continued. Ed was being chased by Scar, Scar was being chased by Al, and I was just running after them as fast as I could, trying not to be too useless.

Ed ran up a wall somehow and did some alchemy. Scar destroyed the wall, causing Ed to fall, but Al used alchemy, too, and created a hand that caught Ed. Ed and I cheered, while Al scolded Ed for not being careful enough.

Things started to get a little more heated when Edward jumped onto a civilian's balcony where she was hanging the laundry, and Scar tried to destroy her home, almost causing part of the roof of the balcony to collapse on her.

"Ah!" The woman cried out. Ed clapped his hands and used alchemy to catch most of the debris.

"I'm so sorry, I'll come back and fix it later!" Ed said, and then he jumped back down off the balcony to fight Scar. The woman leaned out to make sure he was okay, and I waved to let her know that he was good. She waved back, but she looked worried.

"Do we have permission to fire yet?!" One of the officers lingering on scene yelled.

"No!" The other officer yelled back.

"Why not?!" The first one shouted.

He was knocked unconscious when I dodged a bit of flying debris and it hit him in the face. Al dodged another of Scar's attacks, and the flying debris took the second officer in the back, which knocked him against a wall, which made him unconscious.

"You bastard, stop involving people that have nothing to do with this!" Edward yelled at Scar. We had all ended up standing still, Edward in a fighting stance facing Scar, Scar standing in the middle of a path of destruction perpendicular to the unconscious soldiers (I was checking on them, by the way, that's where I was), and then Alphonse in a fighting stance facing Scar on his other side.

"If you would accept your judgment, none of this would have happened, Fullmetal Alchemist." Scar said, turning to face Edward.

"Yeah, as far as the whole 'judgment' thing goes, I call bullshit!" I said, raising a hand as if I was in class. The homunculi hadn't shown up yet, and Edward looked pretty tired. I was feeling a bit winded myself. We needed to buy time.

"Scar-" Al began, but I grabbed a metal bar off the ground and decided to interrupt.

"Stupefy!" I yelled, pointing the bar at Scar. Everyone turned and looked at me. Scar had flinched, expecting something to happen.

There was a moment of silence.

"Well, that didn't work," I said, tossing the bar on the ground. It landed with a clatter. Everyone continued to stare at me. "What?" I asked.

"Anyway," Al said, pausing once more to give me a concerned glance (I'm perfectly sane, I swear) "I was just wondering- Why do you hate alchemists and mark us as people against god when you use alchemy yourself?"

"I thought I answered this already. Where there are creators, there will always be destroyers." Scar responded in monotone, shooting me a glance as he did so (probably nervous about my epic wizardry that seemed to be having some malfunctions).

"What can you possibly get from destroying everything?!" Al asked, his temper rising. I wondered what he was getting at.

"Al-?" Ed began, also curious, but Al kept talking.

"You just want to use God's name to justify your killings!" Al yelled.

Oh.

"Like Shou Tucker. You killed his daughter Nina in God's name." Alphonse clenched his fists. Not good.

"So...you saw that she was turned into a chimera, yes?" Scar asked. I nodded warily. "An alchemist I killed a few days ago said something similar. 'There is no way you will match us, the creators,' but tell me. Is that art of creating so wonderful? It turned an innocent girl into a chimera. An art that creates such a tragedy: Alchemy. Can you truly practice and admire that sort of thing?" Scar's fists were clenched, too. He was angry. Very not good.

Edward was getting angry, as well. "Even so, there was no need to kill her! What gave you the right to take her life away, Scar?!"

"Don't you understand? That girl could never be human anymore. If I had left her like that, she would've been used for animal experiments and never treated as a human again." Scar said, seeming calm this time.

"It was a mercy killing." I murmured.

"There was no reason for you to chase Lynn, though! You tried to kill her and she fell out of a window!" Edward yelled angrily.

"Jumped out of a window, actually." Scar corrected. Edward glared.

"Scar-" Edward stepped forward threateningly. I gulped. Edward was not fit to fight Scar right now, he was too tired.

"She was a witness." Scar "justified" to Ed cooly. I flinched at a tsunami of memories and tried to focus on the now. It was obvious that Edward (and maybe Alphonse, too, I dunno, his helmet can't betray his emotions) was reflecting Nina's past predicament.

"Certainly," Edward began, "we alchemists have made mistakes. This does not mean I can acknowledge what you're doing as 'right'. I have something I want to ask you, too. Does being a hand of god justify taking lives of people who devote themselves to saving innocents?"

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Winry running up.

Winry looked happier upon seeing me. "Lynn! Are you alr-"

"Do you remember a pair of Amestrian doctors named 'Rockbell'?" Edward asked Scar. He hadn't noticed Winry's approach, apparently. Winry froze. Al glanced over at us and stiffened.

"Wait-!" Al said, but Edward plowed through, the bastard.

"They went to aid both sides during the Ishvalan war, and even though they were ordered to stop, they continued to save lives."

"Ed, stop-" I stepped forward, but it was too late.

"Scar, don't tell me you've forgotten the two people you _murdered_ who _saved your life_, you son of a bitch!" Edward yelled. Scar flinched, his eyes widening.

"Edward!" I yelled, finally catching his attention. He looked at me and saw Winry, and his expression turned from one of rage to one of devastation.

"What do you mean?" Winry asked quietly, looking heartbroken. "My parents were killed by...someone they saved? You?" Her gaze turned to Scar, who looked solemn. There was a pause, and then Winry sunk to the ground, trembling. "Why don't you deny it? Why? What did they ever do? Did they do something that gave you no choice but to..._kill_ them? Give them back!" Tears started to fall from her eyes, and I lowered my gun slightly. I started to kneel down next to her. "Give me back my mom and dad!" She cried.

"Winry," I began, reaching out to her, "I-"

She noticed that I had a gun in my hands, and her own hands were lightening quick. She shoved me and grabbed the gun. I toppled backwards with a cry as she turned the gun on Scar.

In another part of town, there was an explosion.

- line break -

**Sorry this chapter was so short, but I thought I owed it to you all to post something.**

**Until next time.**

**~Rabbit**


	31. Final Stage Of Ed's (Stupid) Plan

**Back from music camp. /like a boss**

**And I just decided that the EdWin moment in the manga doesn't work here if we end up doing EdLynn ("Once you name it, you start getting attached to it.") so I changed it. I'm petty like that.**

* * *

**Edward Elric**

The world froze. Scar didn't move. Al and I didn't, either, in case any of our movements could trigger a fight that Winry could get hurt in. Lynn swore from her sprawled position on the ground as Winry's hands shook, holding the gun.

"Don't shoot, Winry," Al begged.

"Put the gun down. Hand it back to Lynn, okay?" I asked her. She didn't say anything back.

"Your hands aren't meant to hold guns, Winry. Think of the powder burns. You can't fix automail very well with powder burns on your hands, can you?" Lynn slowly moved into a crouch.

"Powder burns?" I murmured curiously.

"I do not blame you for wanting to kill me," said Scar, "but the moment you pull that trigger you will be my enemy."

Winry flinched. Her grip on the gun tightened.

"Not helping, Scar," Lynn said angrily. Her voice became more calm as she slowly moved closer to Winry. "Easy now, just relax. Let me have that, yeah?" Her hand reached out to take the gun.

"But- my parents- I have to a-avenge my parents-" Winry half-whispered. Lynn put her hand over Winry's and pointed the gun towards the ground.

"No, they wouldn't want that. Sshhhh." Lynn took the gun from Winry's hands and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, the sound of a wall breaking cracked through the air. Everyone turned to see Scar breaking a wall to flee. Damn, he had taken advantage of Winry's unintended distraction to run away.

"Get him, Ed, Al! I'll take care of Winry!" Lynn yelled. Al and I nodded and bolted after Scar.

* * *

**Lynn Grey**

"It's alright now. It's okay." I scooted over so that I was in front of Winry and I held her hands. She sobbed.

"I...I couldn't shoot...even though he killed my mom and dad...Why?! Can someone please tell me why?! And Ed and Al and you...he could kill you, too, but I couldn't-" She bit her lip as the tears streamed down her face.

"Do you remember when you delivered that baby? I don't remember, because I wasn't there, but Ed and Al told me about it. You also outfitted Edward with automail you created, remember? You built my automail, too. Your hands, Win, are not for killing. Your hands are for healing. For _creating_. Leave the shooting to me, okay?" I pushed the gun a little further away from where I had placed it when I took it away from her.

Winry broke down in tears and clutched me as she wept. I held her for a few moments as she had a good cry.

Some officers were coming toward us now that the fighting was done, and I slowly stood up, pulling Winry to her feet. "Officer! Please take care of the young lady," I said, picking up the gun so it was in its proper place (my hands) and cocking it. "Winry, I have to go, but we'll explain everything later, okay? I'll do my best to keep them safe."

Winry sniffled. "I understand, Lynn."

"Wait, are you going to where Scar is? Ma'am, you should stay here with the rest of the officers, we're not authorized to go in there-" The officer called after me. Remember that I was wearing my military uniform, so they thought that I was one of them.

"So sorry to disappoint you, sir, but I'm not actually in the Amestrian military. I stole~this!" I laughed and darted away before they could catch me. I heard them exclaim something out loud; they sounded pretty upset. That only made me burst into giggles as I ran.

* * *

**Edward Elric**

Al and I chased Scar all the way to a gigantic water tower thing before Scar got a word in.

"That body of yours is hollow, isn't it? Because of alchemy." Scar asked as he dodged Al's blocks of transmuted concrete.

"Yes on both counts." Al answered.

"How pitiful." Scar gritted his teeth. "You're trapped in that miserable armor and you still have faith in alchemy."

I stiffened.

"It's true that there are downsides to being in this body, but I am not miserable." Al slammed his palms into the water tower and a pipe full of gushing water aimed itself at Scar, who dodged. "You have no right to pity me!"

Scar merely sighed and kicked sand up in Al's face. A cloud of sand rose up around Al, and my little bro paused. I could kind of see his outline looking around. I also saw Scar sneaking up on him. I jumped into the air and kicked Scar away from my brother.

"Brother! Right on target!" Al said as the sand settled down again.

"I aim to please." I grinned.

"Edward Elric! You need to be more careful!" I spun around and saw that Lynn was running up; panting and waving her gun around angrily.

"Is Winry safe?" I asked urgently.

"The coppers are handlin' 'er," Lynn said in a sudden new accent. I blinked, but then she was back to her ordinary (but very angry) self again. "You made Winry cry! She saw you all bloody and shit! Jesus, Ed, c'mon now, be more careful. Be observant of your surroundings before you rant about people's murdered parents. Oh, hi, Al."

I flinched. Al just gave Lynn a quick wave and she smiled at him. Then, we heard a voice.

"I found you!"

The homunculus, Gluttony, slammed into the ground behind Scar out of nowhere and we all jumped back a little.

We couldn't see Scar's face since he turned around, but his voice sounded a bit panicky. I would've been pleased if a fucking homunculus hadn't been right there. "You-!"

"I found the Ishvalan!" Gluttony licked his lips. Scar jumped out of the way as Gluttony lunged and tried to bite him. The Ishvalan slammed his hand on Gluttony's back; probably trying to blow him up from the inside. Unfortunately for Scar, Gluttony just healed himself and tried to crush Scar up against a wall.

I instinctively rushed forward. "Stupid-ass Ling, claiming he was gonna catch the homunculi first, what bullshit! Where the hell is he, anyway?!"

And then Ling was there.

He leapt over a wall and jumped on Gluttony's back. Ling pried open the homunculus' mouth and shoved what looked like a bomb in it, and then jumped away. He pulled his cutlass out of his mouth and yelled, "Get down!"

All of us ducked and Gluttony exploded. Flesh, blood, and bones flew everywhere. "Eww..." I muttered as Gluttony's jawbone landed smack dab in front of me. Lynn shrieked.

"What the fuck?!" I heard Lynn yell. I glanced over and saw that a bloody rib with bits of flesh still on it was draped on her head. I winced in sympathy as she flung it away. My attention was drawn back to Gluttony as Ling yelled, "Get a metal cable!" I nodded, suddenly realizing what he was getting at. We could twist a metal cable around Gluttony as he regenerated, and he'd be trapped in the metal cable as his flesh tried to come back, but can't. It was smart, really. I clapped my hands and slammed them into a metal beam and transmutated a cable. I tossed it to Ling, who tied it around Gluttony quickly.

Al seemed confused, so Ling enlightened him about why we did that. After explaining, Ling wiped his mouth. "I kept my end of the agreement; here's a homunculus."

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out and I heard the sound of tires spinning. I glanced to Lynn at first to see if she was the one who fired the gun; but she was staring beyond me at what turned out to be a blonde, bespectacled woman in a black car. She held the gun. Scar grunted in agony and grabbed at his leg.

"Get in! We're escaping!" The woman yelled, her voice sounding very familiar. Al and I started in shock as we realized that the blonde was in fact Lieutenant Hawkeye.

Ling grunted as he heaved the homunculus into the back of the car. The two started driving away. Al started to yell for the Lieutenant to wait, but I shushed him since officers were arriving on the scene and Hawkeye was obviously in disguise.

"The colonel might be a bastard, but he'll give us the info we need later. Right now, we should focus on that shithead." I gestured to Scar, and then got to the point and punched his face in. Scar slammed his hand into the ground after he recovered from the shock, but I dodged the debris easily. "Let's get him, Al!" I yelled. We clapped our hands together and were about to perform alchemy when Al was kicked in the side by...a kid?!

Like a fucking ninja, the little girl leapt off of Al's crashing armor and kicked me in the head. I vaguely heard her yell something to Scar, but I didn't understand it since my vision went a little blurry and my ears were ringing. Why were all my injuries in the head today? Yeesh.

"What were you going to do to my savior's underling, bean boy?!" The girl yelled.

I recovered quickly and jumped up after she insulted my height. "Whaddidya say, bean girl?!" I raged.

"Little girl, get out of the way! Do you want to be caught up in this?!" The officers who were lingering at the scene yelled.

"Are you ganging up on me? Fine! We'll have to retreat!" The girl (who was probably Xingese) flung some weird daggers (Lynn would later tell me that they were kunai, I'm not quite sure if she was right or not) at the water tower and some other daggers in a box labled "danger". She drew a circle in the dirt with her feet and threw down more daggers to make a weird star in the circle (again, she was a ninja, I swear), and the water tower exploded. Steam rose up in the air, hiding everyone.

"Damn, I can't see anything!" I spun around in the circle. I heard the confused cries of the officers and two sets of footsteps; Scar and the girl were escaping. "Damn it-" The footsteps quickly faded away. "_SCAAARRR!_"


	32. Winry Leaves And There's A Shack

**Sorry about the wait. /laughs nervously**

**Also, for those of you that haven't done so already, PLEASE VOTE ON MY POLL ON MY USERLOOKUP. I forgot to mention it before now, but it's there.**

* * *

**Riza Hawkeye**

I drove like a madman through town.

"We're heading to a hideout right now," I informed my passenger quickly.

"Wait! I have a comrade that I left behind! We have to get her!" The Xingese man cried out.

"We don't have enough time!" I protested. We didn't have the time. The military, the homunculi, or Scar could be coming after us right now. The Colonel was waiting for us, too.

"She's dying and waiting for me to pick her up! Please!" The man said in a last, desperate attempt to save his friend. I bit my lip. I knew that I'd go back for the Colonel if he was injured, and it sounded like this man cared strongly for his partner. I sighed.

"Please hurry it up."

* * *

**Lynn Grey**

The military men gave us a ride. Thank goodness they were different men than before, I wasn't quite ready to get arrested for thievery of government property (my uniform) just yet.

On the way back, Alphonse found a small, panda-like creature in his armor.

"What's that?" Ed asked warily.

"I dunno, Brother. I just found it." Al replied.

"You idiot! There's no way we can take care of a pet! Throw it out the window!" Ed yelled suddenly.

"But look at him! The poor thing is shivering!" Al protested.

"That's probably because he's scared of your giant metal hands!" Edward yelled back, shoving his finger in the poor animal's face. I reached to yank his arm back, but I was too late. The animal bit him. Ed howled and yelled for Al to throw it out.

I smacked Ed on the back of the head for being an idiot and watched as the panda bit Al, too, only to realize that Al couldn't feel pain.

"Shut up, you two, your yelling is going to cause a car accident! Loud noises and fingers in faces scare small creatures." I scolded. Al and Ed guiltily stopped talking.

"We're here," the driver said with obvious relief.

Another military man walked us through the building to a room where Winry had been waiting for us. She gave us a happy wave as we walked in, pleased to see that we were still alive and kicking. I smiled back, but my cheery aura died as soon as I saw who was sitting across the table from Winry.

The Fuhrer. The homunculus Fuhrer. The homunculus Fuhrer that cut my legs off.

I trembled a little. Edward noticed and put on a cool, calm expression. No need to give away the fact that I had revealed the facts from my kidnapping.

"Fullmetal Alchemist. Hello." Said the Fuhrer. His eye briefly flickered to me. I looked away, clenching my fists in barely restrained terror.

I wasn't quite sure what was said after that. I was mainly trying not to have a panic attack in the middle of the room. The Fuhrer exchanged words with Ed and Al, then departed. Winry said some things, too, and Edward sat down across from her. I don't know what they talked about, probably Winry's parents. Al took my hand as soon as Edward sat down and Al lead me from the room as well.

Al shut the door. I leaned against the wall and slid down it, putting my head in my hands. I took deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

"Are you alright, Lynn?" Al asked quietly.

"No," I choked out, "but give me a minute. I just-"

He sat down next to me and gently pulled me closer. I leaned in on his shoulder and continued my measured breathing.

Edward and Winry conveniently walked out of the room as I finished composing myself. We all got into a cab and headed back to the hotel. It was a tight fit. I thought I was going to get crushed to death.

When we got to the hotel lobby, an employee told Winry that she had a call. Since I couldn't hear what was going on at the other end of the line, the next couple moments went like this:

"Hello?" - Winry

...

"Oh, hi!" - Winry

...

"Yeah, sorry. I'll come back right away. I'll try my best to hurry. Th-thank you, everyone." - Winry . Silent tears streamed down Winry's face. I grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze, because I didn't know how to comfort her. What was wrong?

I'd learn the next day, when we went to the train station to see Winry off.

"Thank you for stopping me," she said quietly, and in my head I said 'ah. that's what it was.' "There are people waiting for me to return. I almost never saw them again. Even though I haven't completely accepted the truth behind my parents' deaths, everyone's waiting for me, so I'll carry on. I don't know if I could've faced them all if I had shot Scar." She turned back and smiled at us sadly. We watched quietly as she boarded the train, and then walked over to the window near her seat so we could say final words.

"It's been nice to see you, Winry, " I said with a smile.

"I'm glad I got to see you, too. And don't forget to take care of your automail. You too, Ed."

"Okay," Ed and I said in unison.

"I'll bring better oil for you next time, Al."

"Okay," said Al.

Winry bit her lip and paused before speaking again. "Don't die."

"I won't," Ed reassured.

"Of course!" Al proclaimed.

"The only thing one can say to Death is 'not today'," I said with mock sageliness on my face. Winry chuckled.

"Bye, Winry," Al said.

"Bye!" I started to back up and wave as the train started moving. The three of us waved at Winry as her face in the window moved away from us. "Good bye! Be safe!"

And then she was gone.

Ed, Al and I walked in the direction of the hotel quietly, only talking when I saw something interesting in the streets.

"I swear there was a cat back there," I murmured, pointing at one of the numerous alleys we had passed.

"Forget the cat, is that the Colonel's car parked over there?" Edward ran off ahead of us. I shouted in protest, but Ed started talking to the window of the car anyway. What if it was some pedophile? Or a kidnapper? Or a murderer? Or Channing Tatum?

It turned out to be the Colonel.

"There're guards stationed all around the hotel you're staying at. You weren't on your way back there, were you?" Asked Mustang. We leaned up against his car.

"Of course we weren't," I lied, "we were just waiting for you to come get us. What did the lieutenant do with the homunculus?"

"It's in an abandoned shack. We're headed there now. Get in." The Colonel gestured to the backseat of the car, where Ed and Al piled in. I walked around to the other side of the car and rode shotgun.

"How's your injury, Colonel? Should you be driving?" Al asked with concern.

"I'm fine," Mustang replied. "Fullmetal, check and see if anyone is following us. Keep your mouths shut, all of you, we have to pick someone up on the way there. You boys in the back better make room for him." A pause. "Lynn Grey, your legs-?"

"Automail. Aren't they just nifty?" I grinned and rolled up one of my pant legs so he could see, then rolled it back down after he glanced appreciatively at it.

We ended up parked outside of some old man's house. I know it was an old man's house because aforementioned old man ended up in our car, with Ed sandwiched between him and Al. I chuckled as Edward quietly swore in the background.

It wasn't that long of a drive to get to the abandoned shack. It wasn't that great of a shack, really. It could use some more...cobwebs? Demon circles? I dunno. I've never even seen Supernatural, though it wasn't for lack of trying.

Holy shit.

I'm never going to see season three of Sherlock, am I?

FUCK.

* * *

**Edward Elric**

It wasn't that great of a shack, but I could see why it had been chosen as our hideout. I nodded a greeting to the lieutenant as she escorted the doctor to whoever it was that needed treating. Lynn was facepalming and muttering to herself about "johnlock" or something, but I was more concerned about Ling, who was crouched outside some room. I approached, about to say something, when I heard the cries of pain.

Lan Fan.

"Oh, Ling," I said, devastation on my face. Lan Fan had been injured, and it was all my fault for getting him involved.

"Are you about to tell me that it's your fault for getting me caught up in this, Edward?" Ling asked quietly. I flinched. That was exactly what I was about to do.

Lynn looked up at hearing that I was being an idiot again (her words, not mine, as she proceeded to tell me exactly that and hit me with a wrench).

"Don't misunderstand. Didn't you hear me when I joined you? We're in the same boat here, and I was the one who suggested this. You don't have to feel apologetic. I knew the risks. So did Lan Fan. We knew that finding immortality would be hard before we even left Xing." Ling clenched his fist. "Yes. Ever since I've carried the burden of Xing's fate, I've understood. But it's not enough. I'm too naive. Lan Fan understands better than I do." Ling looked sad, and far too old for someone his age. He's just fifteen, like me, but he looks twenty in body and eons old in eyes.

Lynn walked past us into the room Lan Fan was in. It had gone quiet. Al and I followed her in. Ling remained outside.

"How are you, Lan Fan? Can we get you anything?" Lynn asked gently.

There was a pause as Lan Fan caught her breath. "Automail. I need- I- This country has metal limbs. My arm is gone, so-" her ragged breathing interrupted her sentences, but I got the gist of it.

"Is that so?" I murmured with a sad smile. "I know just the mechanic for the job. You'll like her, she's nice."

All of us left the room so Lan Fan could get some rest. Even the doctor said she needed some space. We emerged to find Ling telling the Colonel that the Fuhrer is a homunculus. The lieutenant took a large gun and stood on the porch, keeping watch.

Mustang snorted. "Impossible."

"It's true!" Lynn protested suddenly. "He survived against Greed, another homunculus."

"And under his eyepatch is the homunculus tattoo. Right where his pupil and iris should be. He can still see out of it for some reason." Ling confirmed.

"The ruler of the country?!" Mustang asked in shock. "But homunculi cannot reproduce- Alphonse, you read that yourself. The Fuhrer has a wife and son."

"But Selim was adopted." The doctor said grimly.

The shack went quiet as everyone absorbed this information.

"Heh," Mustang chuckled. "Either way, this just makes me more determined to kick him off his throne. First, though, I have to get information from this homunculus. And if we can get it out, we'll have a Philosopher's Stone, as well. Maybe," he paused, "maybe I could use it to heal Havoc."

"Hey!" Ling protested. "Lan Fan sacrificed her arm for that thing, and we need it to find the way to immortality. I'm sending that thing back to Xing right now."

"Wait a second!" I cried out indignantly. "Al and I need to regain our bodies! Don't sneak that thing away from us! And you got here illegally. You think you can move that homunculus without our help?"

"I'm just gonna go." The doctor muttered.

"No, we need you to help us make a vote," said Mustang. Our arguing grew louder and louder. I wasn't about to let Ling and Mustang take away the chance to get Al's body back!

"EVERYBODY, SHUT UP RIGHT NOW OR I SWEAR I WILL END YOU ALL AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A BLOODY ACCIDENT." Lynn yelled. Everyone fell silent in shock. "Honestly, people, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Bickering like school children." Lynn shook her head in mock-disgust, and everyone (except the doctor) shuffled their feet with a bit of shame. Even I felt kind of bad.

"We can all share the Philosopher's Stone, alright? There's enough _human souls _in there for everyone." Lynn glared at all of us and emphasized the words, "human souls". I flinched. "Now, Mustang-"

"MUSTANG?!"

Everyone turned sharply to look at the homuculus who hadn't spoken at all until now.

"COLONEL MUSTANG. LUST. MUSTANG. COLONEL MUSTANG. MUSTANG KILLED LUST. _ROY MUSTANG!_" The homuculus let out an inhuman howl and its belly ripped open, fangs protruding from it. The cable snapped, and with a noise like an explosion, half the shack vanished.


	33. Gluttony, You Little-!

_school is starting in a few weeks. I won't be updating as quickly, and I apologize in advance._

* * *

** Edward Elric**

"What the hell?" I whispered in awe as I stared at the rough ground where the shack used to be. The wood, the dirt, the rocks, all of it- sheared clean through. The tips of my boots were gone, as well as parts of the roof. I could see the stars from where I was standing. I think I might've been a bit in shock.

I looked over to Lynn, whom had gone very pale. The area that was gone was right behind her. "You alright?" I asked.

"I felt the 'woosh' as everything was sucked away." She explained. "It was almost me. I was almost-" she stuttered, and we heard Hawkeye yell, "Colonel!"

"Don't come near, Lieutenant!" Mustang yelled as Gluttony "sucked" more of everything into its stomach.

"What's going on?" We heard the lieutenant yell with barely restrained panic in her voice.

Mustang refrained from answering when Alphonse shoved him and the doctor down and a part of the roof collapsed on them. I'm not sure how Al knew it was going to happen, only that it did. The cracking of the wood and the "clang" of the beams against Alphonse's metal armor made me go cold all over.

"Al?!" I yelled, running over to the place where they were trapped and shoving wood off of them.

The colonel had the bear-cat-panda thing clinging to his face, but he yanked it off rather quickly. "Don't provoke it, Lieutenant! I'm it's target!"

The homunculus didn't disappoint. I grabbed Al and bolted out of the way as it sucked the place where we'd just been lying, the doctor and colonel right on our heels. "MUSTANG!" The homunculus howled.

Ling ran off to get Lan Fan, whom I'd forgotten about in the heat of the moment. Concern was the new dominant emotion this time. Lan Fan was practically defenseless, _and_ she was sick, so we needed to get her out of here immediately.

"How can alchemy be so awful? To make such monsters..." I muttered in horror under my breath as the homunculus took out another area in front of it.

"I'm going to burn it to death, we have no choice, it's destroying everything. Survival comes first, and it knows my name. We cannot let it go back alive!" Mustang said grimly, ignoring Al's and my protests. He raised a now-gloved hand and snapped his fingers, sending a spiral of flame smashing into the creature.

It ate the fire.

"Oh." Murmured Mustang with shock. "That didn't go as planned."

The homunculus let out a roar and its gaping mouth opened wider, signaling an attack was coming. We bolted as it sucked more land out of existence.

"That didn't work!" I yelled angrily.

"You try something, then!" The colonel yelled back.

"Don't follow us, it's targeting you!" Al screamed at Mustang.

"Shut up, all of you, into the woods! Scatter and run like hell itself is at your heels!" Lynn's voice interrupted. She was hardly breaking a sweat as she ran beside me.

The homunculus almost got Mustang once, but Lieutenant Hawkeye (who had chased us into the forest) shot at it and distracted it. The colonel and I met up in the middle of the woods while Al and Lynn ran in the direction they heard the car start up in.

"I can't go on much further, Fullmetal. Go without me." Mustang panted, clutching his injured side. Despite myself I felt a pang of worry. I hoped his wound hadn't opened up.

"And let you have a glorious, self-sacrificing hero's death? Never," I teased as I helped him to his feet.

"Sir, we have to get out of here quickly." Hawkeye said as she caught up with us once more. "I'm certain it can smell us from here."

I was struck by a stroke of genius. "Give me your coat," I said to Mustang. He looked at me like I was crazy. I sighed. "It'll track the smell from your coat to this dummy," I clapped my hands and slammed them into the ground, creating a perfect likeness of a crouching Mustang (right down to a tongue-sticking-out expression on his face). "We can get away while it's distracted."

"Good idea," said Mustang in between pained breaths. "Glad I thought of it."

I smacked him on the back of the head _lightly_ (I'm not a sadistic bastard that puts his hurt frie- er, _comrades_- in more pain on purpose. Hawkeye helped him out of his coat, handed it to me, and started walking away, supporting Mustang. I draped the coat over the dummy and walked with them, ducking under Mustang's other arm and supporting the side opposite to Hawkeye's. We went extra fast, finally reaching the car to the relief of everyone.

"Come on!" The doctor yelled from the driver's seat.

Ling, Al, Lynn, and I stood outside the car as Hawkeye and Mustang got in. Lan Fan was already inside.

"Go away, you useless person!" I kicked the car and glared at Mustang.

"Hey, I can't just leave while that thing's still out there-" Mustang protested.

"YOU'RE A BURDEN!" I yelled angrily, only half-meaning it.

"Go AWAY!" Al yelled, but I could tell he (like me) wanted Mustang away from danger. I mean, he's a dick, don't get me wrong, but who would replace the Fuhrer if Mustang died? Havoc? He'd burn the country to the ground!

_Yeah, just keep lying to yourself, Edward. You care about the shithead (and not in THAT way, you sick bastards!) and don't want him to get hurt._

"You really are not helpful in this condition, sir," Hawkeye reminded him, and Mustang visibly deflated.

"You idiot Colonel," Lynn said affectionately. "Go do what you have to do- The Fuhrer is a homunculus, and you've got to fix that."

"We've got no time to chat, get in!" The doctor beckoned frantically.

Ling, Al, Lynn and I shared a look, and I smiled gently. "Looks pretty full to me. Go ahead."

"You little shit!" The doctor exclaimed incredulously.

"We can't just leave kids on the battlefield!" Hawkeye exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Hey, I don't know the details, but don't you have more important details to attend to?" Ling leaned on his sword and smiled cheerily. "The leader of your country is working with the enemy."

"We'll find a way to get info out of Gluttony, don't you worry." Lynn said grimly.

"The fact that we're kids has nothing to do with it. We started this fight, so we'll end it. Thanks for helping us." I stood up straight, glancing with pride at the determined faces of Lynn and Ling and the confidence of my brother's stance.

Hawkeye put a new cartridge in her gun. "Edward. Here. Do you know how to use it?" She held it out the window in my direction. I stared at it hesitantly. She noticed my hesitation. "It's for survival."

Lynn darted near and took it from her hand and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he'll use it. Quit being stubborn, Ed." She shoved the gun into my chest and let go, forcing me to catch it before it fell on the ground. I gave her an irritated look, to which she only grinned wider.

"Take care of Lan Fan," said Ling, and Lan Fan started to protest, calling for him. Ling took off in another direction, and I rushed to keep up. Al and Lynn followed. I heard the car drive away as we ran back into the trees. We heard the homunculus roaring for Mustang.

Ling panted and I stumbled a little. We were growing tired. Thankfully (or unfortunately?) we reached the clearing (it wasn't a clearing before) where the homunculus was having his tantrum.

"I said we would fight it, but..." I muttered, sweating nervously. The thing was monstrous, raging and destroying everything in its path. Damn scary.

"Your entire demeanor changed," Ling commented. I didn't reply.

"I wish it would just revert back to normal." Al said.

"Maybe if we shove the Colonel in that maw it will," I commented darkly, but everyone knew I was joking.

Lynn looked thoughtful. "Where do you think all the stuff he takes goes?"

"What does it matter?" Asked Ling. Lynn shrugged. Suddenly, Ling spun around and lifted his sword. Al turned, too, noticing the bear-cat bristling and trembling in the same direction Ling faced. Lynn and I followed suit and turned.

An eerie dark horse with a bent neck and glowing eyes _"clip-clopp"_ed its way through the trees.

"What the...?" I began, but then the horse spoke.

"Enough, Gluttony," it commanded in a familiar voice. Lynn gasped.

"It talked?!" Ling cried out in surprise.

An alchemical light crackled around the horse as it shifted, hooves growing fingers and fur vanishing, its mane turning green and spiking out- Envy!

"You!" Lynn gasped in terror. I turned to look at her briefly. She was milk white and shaking like a leaf, looking for all the world like she was going to have a panic attack.

"I see you've remembered me. And long time no see, Fullmetal bean. How _are_ you?" Envy grinned as he popped his knuckles and twitched his neck. He looked insane.

My eye twitched. Pipsqueak? PIPSQUEAK?! "Who." I started running towards him. "Did." My teeth clenched slightly as I got closer. "You." Envy looked confused as I glared. "Call." I sprang up into the air. "A BEAN SO SMALL THAT NO ONE WOULD EVER PUT HIM IN EVEN AN INFANTS SOUP?! My roundhouse smashed into the tree behind Envy as he ducked.

"Wait!" Envy put his hands out in front of him, backing away, eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not planning to fight you, midget!"

"That's FIVE!" I yelled, going for an uppercut, but missing because he had backed up a hair more.

"What's your problem?!" Envy yelled.

"Twice just now and three times in the fifth laboratory- You've picked on my height five times! Don't tell me you don't remember!" I raged, taking another swipe at him, only for him to dodge. He was about to reply when the sound of a gun going off broke through the clearing and Envy stumbled, blood dripping from the new bullet wound in his forehead.

"You bastard!" Lynn snarled.

"Lynn, don't provoke him! Brother, get over here before you do something rash!" Al grabbed me by my arms and pulled me away from Envy as I fought to murder his irritating little ass.

"Gee, Gluttony," Envy said as he straightened up, the bullet fell out of his forehead, and the wound closed over. "You've been acting up. What's wrong?"

"Mustang killed Lust. Kill Mustang." Gluttony explained with some rage.

"Mustang's gone. Besides, you're not allowed to eat the Colonel." Envy replied.

Gluttony started to sniffle. "B-but...killed Lust...Mustang..."

Envy rolled his eyes, then noticed Ling. "Squinty eyes. Good to see you."

"Came to capture me?" Ling asked lightly.

"Nah, just came to get him. Maybe next time." Envy gestured with his thumb towards the sniveling, fat homunculus and then used him as an armrest. He paused, looking thoughtful. "Although...Gluttony, you hungry?"

"Yes!" Gluttony said, anticipating a treat. I got a bad feeling.

"Do not eat the Elrics, _do not_, but squinty eyes and the cripple are all yours for munching. Or you could just swallow them whole. But do not eat the Elrics! Crippley is only on the menu 'cause Father doesn't think she's important anymore. Practically worthless- no info whatsoever!" He said, sounding almost reassuring to the fatter homunculus. Said fat homunculus grinned as I grew angry.

"Oh, things are looking better, Al." I slid into a fighting stance. "Seems like they're not going after us right now."

"And Gluttony's calmed down a bit," Al commented, doing as I did.

"I see," Ling shifted his grip on his sword. "Lynn, with me!" He cried out as I slammed my palms into the ground and created a brick wall separating the two homunculi. Al and I charged Gluttony. I transmuted a gigantic well that Gluttony fell into and Al cheered. I heard the sickening slicing sound of flesh on the other side of the wall, and multiple gunshots. I hoped Lynn and Ling were okay.

"We've got him!" I yelled in triumph as Gluttony fell lower and lower and lower into the well- and then he shot back up again! His ribs that were coming out of that gaping maw in his stomach had extended to push him out of the well. I swore as Al cried out in surprise. I clapped my hands and transmuted an earthy fist that punched Gluttony into next Tuesday. We ran up close as he tumbled- Al circling behind and me throwing punches and kicks to distract Gluttony as he recovered. Al managed to wrap his arms around Gluttony's and pull him back. We had made it back into the trees now, and If I turned my head I could see Ling fighting with Envy and Lynn firing bullets off to the side.

"This is great, Al," I panted, "but what do I do now?"

Al didn't have time to answer. Gluttony lifted his arms as best he could and flipped Al over top of him. Al crashed into the ground with a loud clatter. Ling turned to see what was going on and Envy turned to punch him, but Lynn shot at him again, causing Envy to swing around and go for her. Lynn backed away, only to hit her back against a tree- she was trapped. She raised her gun as Ling raised his sword from behind Envy to surprise him, only for both of them to freeze.

Envy had turned into me.

* * *

**Lynn Grey**

I froze in horror. I was pointing a gun at Edward- no, Envy, get yourself together, Lynn. It's not Edward. Pull the trigger.

_If you pull the trigger, Edward will be lying on the ground with a bullet through his brain and blood leaking out of is head, staining that beautiful golden hair with his life. It'll pool around him and there'll be nothing you can do about it. He'll die._

"Lynn, look out!"

It was the real Edward's voice. I snapped out of it and let out a wordless snarl as I pulled the trigger and shot the faker, only to have a bright light envelop me. What?

* * *

**Edward Elric**

I watched in horror as Gluttony's stomach-mouth opened a little wider. I moved to shove Lynn out of the way, but I couldn't reach her in time, I just knew it.

"Lynn, look out!" I yelled desperately, and she shot Envy in the head, but she was too late to move.

She was gone.

Gluttony ate her.

Gluttony _ate_ Lynn Grey.

Gluttony had missed Ling and Envy, and Envy looked pleased about that. "Eat the squinty eyed one, Gluttony!" Envy yelled as I let out a crazed yell and lunged. I punched Envy's bleeding face right into the ground. I may not have been able to close Gluttony's mouth, but I could at least pummel the guy responsible for Lynn's distraction. My fist hit Envy's face over and over and over again until I was suddenly flung backwards. I skidded in the dirt towards Ling. Envy grabbed me by the shirt and punched me, only to turn his head a little and notice Gluttony.

"Wait, Gluttony, stop-" Envy started to yell, and then there was a bright light and I lost consciousness.


	34. Blood In The Seventh Hell

**Lynn Grey**

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was that it was really, really dark.

The second thing I noticed was that I was lying in something wet, sticky, and really, really weird smelling. Like...iron. It was weird.

I twitched my arms and legs. Yup, they worked. My eyes opened- that was good, I could kinda see now a little bit. I stood up, my leg joints creaking. I lifted a hand to my face and sniffed the liquid that covered it. Still smelled like weird iron. Okaaay...

I had a thought.

What if I tasted it?

"I really, really shouldn't. It could be poisonous." I told myself firmly.

I licked it anyway, and then immediately spat it out.

"Ugh, gross!" I cried out. "_Blood!_"

I glanced around. It was like an ocean of blood that only got up to your knees. There were chunks of pavement and other things around the place and- was that a skeleton? Yes, yes it was. Don't look over there, Lynn. Get a hold of yourself.

"Alright, what huge sonuvabitch forgot to wear a tampon?" I muttered, hoping (yet not hoping) for a sign that someone was there. "Hello? Anybody out there? Oh, look, a bike." I said, glancing at the bike leaning against a pillar. "It's red. That's nice." I was beginning to feel a little lightheaded from shock. I stared down at all the blood. "I wonder if I could learn to swim in it." I quickly abandoned that plan, though, because that would be gross. Instead I just sort of trudged along, hoping that if I waded through this blood long enough there'd be an end or an exit or _something_. How did I even get here?

Oh, right. Gluttony ate me. Fantastic.

I continued walking for who knows how long (I didn't have a watch or a clock, okay) until I heard voices. Ling was talking to Edward, and that didn't make sense.

"Great," I said, throwing my hands up into the air, "I've gone crazy."

The voices paused. I thought that they were gone before Ed's voice yelled, "Lynn? Lynn, is that you?"

I hesitated, peering through the murky darkness. "Edward?"

"Lynn! Lynn, over here!" I heard him yell, and I started running in the direction of his voice. I saw light in the distance, and I wondered if I was dying.

But no, there he was, holding a torch (where the hell did he get that?) with Ling standing next to him. I skidded to a stop, blood splashing everywhere. "Edward!" I cried out happily, throwing my arms around him. "Why the hell are you in here?" I asked his shoulder as I blinked back tears. "How did you get swallowed by Gluttony?"

"Hold on," Ling's voice said, "we have to make sure she's not Envy in disguise."

I jolted backwards, my eyes widening in terror. "Envy is here? What's going on, Ed?"

"Well- er, sorry, Lynn, but we have to make sure that you're Lynn before we explain," Ed said awkwardly, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, shoot." I said.

His eyes widened as mine had earlier, in horror and surprise. "I'm not going to shoot you!"

I facepalmed. "That's not what I meant! I meant 'shoot' as in 'shoot your questions at me' so you can figure out whether or not I'm me. And I am me, by the way."

Edward relaxed and looked rather ashamed. "Oh. Right." He cleared his throat and straightened, going back to his ordinary cocky disposition. "Well, tell me this, then, Lynn- Who do you think sensei looks like?"

I frowned at him. "Mother. Really, Ed, you can come up with better questions than that."

Edward frowned in return, but his was of thoughtfulness, not disapproval. He crossed his arms and his brow furrowed. Then, he brightened. "Who's house did you stay at when you first got here? You made a keish."

"Hughes and Gracia's house." I replied.

"It's her," Ed told Ling, and I swatted his head gently.

"Of course it's me, bimbo. Now, how are we going to get out of here?" I asked. Ling looked contemplative.

"First, we have to figure out where we are. I was certain we were eaten by Gluttony back there." He said.

"Speaking of which, how did you get eaten, anyway?" I asked the two of them, folding my arms and glaring. "What could have possibly possessed you to follow me in here?"

Ed looked sheepish, averting his eyes and shuffling his feet. "I kind of attacked Envy while Ling was about to get eaten by Gluttony, and then Envy and I got too close to the path that would be devoured by Gluttony, so Envy, Ling, and I were swallowed. I have no idea where Envy is. Ling made this torch with a human bone," we all shuddered, "and a burning piece of wood."

"How could the inside of Gluttony's stomach be so huge?" Ling asked.

"Well, there was that eye in his stomach, right?" I began, losing the glare and shifting my weight as I thought. "Don't the Doors of Truth have an eye?"

"How did you know?" Edward asked suspiciously.

"I dunno," I said awkwardly. "I kind of just...knew it. I must've gotten to this country somehow, and then maybe my memories of the world-jump were suppressed, but not completely suppressed, obviously, since I can read and write and speak in this language, and I occasionally remember weird shit like this." Ed nodded in hesitant agreement and Ling just looked confused. I continued with our previous topic. "So if the Doors of Truth have an eye and Gluttony has an eye, it's safe to assume that Gluttony's creator was trying to replicate the Doors of Truth, right?"

"I suppose," said Edward thoughtfully, "but that's probably not it. The Doors of Truth did not have a sea of blood, and that space was all white, instead of dark. Whatever, we'll find out soon enough. Ah, look!" He suddenly pointed to a large chunk of wooden building. "That was the shack! Or part of it, anyway."

"So, why isn't there a night sky?" Ling asked abruptly. "There are no stars, moon, clouds, nothing. Just blackness."

"Because we're technically inside whatever space was created when they tried to make the Doors of Truth, if I'm correct. It's not outside in the grass, it's not inside his stomach, so it's an in-between space." I guessed. "That's why whatever the ground is made of is covered by a sea of blood-it keeps the in-between space alive. Maybe."

"Look at all the buildings and skeletons lying around, all from different eras." Ed noted, still not believing me about my Truth theory. "Is that a train?"

"Just the engine," Ling said. "Look at those columns over there."

"I bet there's a Holy Grail down here somewhere," I remarked, "and Amelia Earheart's plane and skeleton are probably here, too."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Edward asked, and I shrugged.

"Shouldn't you be making an exit, Edward?" Asked Ling.

"Right- maybe we can tunnel our way out! There's ground under our feet, isn't there?" And off Edward went. He grabbed some chunks of pillar and transmuted a wall that he placed on whatever ground was hidden under all the blood, and then chipped a hole in it. The blood in the center of the ring drained out until there was just the ground and the wall surrounding it. Edward clapped his hands again and the hole in the wall quickly sealed up. It wasn't a huge space- big enough to have a car sit on, I suppose, and the wall was only about knee high.

Edward reached down and scooped up some of the ground in his fingers. "It's pretty much just clotted blood," he muttered, and then he started talking to himself about what blood was composed of. He clapped his hands and pressed them on the clotted blood ground, and a hole suddenly appeared in front of him, perfectly circular and if one peered down into it, the blackness seemed to stretch on forever.

"Give me the fire," Edward said, but instead of the bone I passed him an iron rod that had easily been pulled off the train. The three of us gathered around the hole and knelt down by it, and Edward dropped the iron rod down the hole.

We waited for the sound of it hitting the bottom to reach us.

It never did.

We started panicking. "A wall! Let's find a wall!" Ling cried, and we all started running in one direction.

"If we keep going forward, eventually we'll find a wall!" Ed proclaimed, though the sinking feeling in my stomach told me that we were probably going to be like the skeletons- trapped forever.

We kept running until we found a rather large chunk of rock to rest on, since we were growing tired. I didn't sit down- I had an idea.

I pulled out my gun and pointed it out into the darkness. I pulled the trigger. _Bang._ I turned around and pointed it in the opposite direction. _Bang._ I pointed it upward, but at an angle slightly, so if it ricocheted against metal it probably wouldn't kill me. _Bang._

"There was no sound of it hitting a wall right, left, or upwards," Ling remarked wearily, laying down on the rock to rest a moment. Edward remained sitting as I walked over and plunked down next to him.

"Let's keep walking," Edward suggested after reading my defeat in the tired lines of my face.

So we did.

* * *

**Edward Elric**

I had no idea how long we had been walking. I only felt weariness and hopelessness. Any glance at Ling and Lynn would tell that they felt the same. We were trapped down here, walking walking walking walking hoping for a wall or a door or an exit walking walking walking...

Ling collapsed on a log.

"I can't go on," he muttered. "Too hungry and tired. Go without me, I'll just lay here."

"Oi, that's pathetic," I protested with a wheeze.

"Hun...gry..." Ling whispered.

"You're going to stop after we walked all this way?" I said in shock, starting to feel a bit angry.

"Get a hold of yourself, Ling!" Lynn cried. "Stand! Walk! We can do this!"

"Go on...without me." He said.

"Fine," I bluffed, "come on, Lynn." I started walking away. Lynn remained by Ling's side, trying to make him stand up. "I'm abandoning you both!" I said, glancing behind me, expecting them to get up and follow. Lynn looked at me, torn between wanting to help save Ling and wanting to follow me. "I mean it, Ling!" I yelled as I kept walking away. "I'm leaving!"

He didn't get up.

"Ugh!" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation and walked back to the log. "Alright, Lynn, you get his right side, I'll get his left." I threw his arm over my shoulder and helped support him as Lynn nodded and did the same with his other arm. We started to half-carry, half-drag him away from the stupid log. I kept the torch between my teeth.

"I thought I told you...to leave...me behind. You listened," Ling said with slight confusion.

I just grunted, but Lynn didn't have a torch, so she explained. "You have someone waiting for you, and so does Ed. We wouldn't just leave you here."

We kept dragging him until we found a large, round slab of concrete that we collapsed on, panting.

"Oh, hell," I muttered, "this is like...a de...death march," I wheezed.

"The sea of bloo...blood will suck our...energy away," Lynn confirmed.

"So...hungry," Ling groaned.

I pulled off my leather boot, wiggling my automail foot. "All this blood in the joints is going to ruin the automail," I complained, and Lynn sat up, too.

"I know. It's gonna smell soooo bad," she said, and then she noticed my shoe and perked up. "Hey, those wouldn't happen to be made out of leather, would they?"

"Um, yeah, they are." I said confused.

"You can eat leather. I saw it in a movie once!" Lynn said, beaming, and I realized what she was getting at.

"Oh! I read a book and that was mentioned one time! Great thinking! Now all I need is a pot and a fire and..." My mind whizzed as I transmuted the stuff I needed. Ling started complaining about eating something that had my toe fungus in it.

"His foot is automail, silly," Lynn reminded him. "There won't be any fungus."

"When I'm emperor of Xing, I'm going to tell the historians to put you down as the man who fed the emperor a shoe," Ling said to me, and I grinned.

"Well, I had to go down is history for doing _something_," I grinned. "I can see it now..'Edward Elric, and Important Part of Xing's History!'"

"Oh, hush, you," Lynn said, swatting me lightly on the head again. "You'll get a swelled head."

"Stop," Ling said, holding up a hand as his expression turned serious. Lynn froze. I turned to Ling curiously, but I was on my guard now. Something was wrong. In the quiet, we could hear the _splish splish_ of someone coming towards us.

"Something's coming," I muttered, standing up and getting in a fighting stance. Ling and Lynn did the same, though Lynn's fighting stance happened to be just standing behind me and to the right and reaching for her gun.

"Ah, I knew I saw a light over here," a familiar voice said pleasantly, and Lynn swore. "I knew it was you guys."

"Envy." Ling snarled as he came into view. I only had one thought.

"Please tell us where the exit is!" I begged, knowing that only a homunculus would know how to get out of the inside of another homunculus.

"You stoop this low?!" Ling exclaimed in shock at my desperate expression.

"Of course!" I yelled. "If it's for the sake of survival, I'll bow down to my opponent! It's only for a little while, anyway!"

"Surviving is great, but what happened to your pride?!" Ling asked.

"Shut up! Sometimes you've just got to eat humble pie!" I responded with some irritation.

Envy sat down on a smaller chunk of concrete nearby and put his head in his hands. "There is no way out," he muttered tiredly. "We're inside Gluttony, yet not. I'm sure the Fullmetal pipsq- er, Alchemist- already knows where we are. You've done something similar before."

"So I was right," Lynn muttered, lowering her gun slightly and swallowing nervously.

"But it can't be the Doors of Truth." I protested, feeling a bit weak in the knees at the thought of being in that horrible place. "That's a white place, not black, and there's a set of doors and no blood!"

"So that's what the real place is like," Envy said wistfully.

"What?" I licked my dry, cracked lips.

"Father tried to create a fake Door of Truth and failed. We're trapped here in this space, a place between Reality and Truth." You could practically hear the capitalization in Envy's words. "There's no exit, nor any way to escape. All we can do is grow old and die like those sick fucks over there," he said, gesturing to the skeletons and clenching his teeth.

"I told you so about the Doors," Lynn muttered, but I barely heard her. No escape. We'd just stay here for years and years, possibly turning to cannibalism in a desperate attempt at survival, going grey in the hair, and then dying, leaving our bodies to decompose in the sea of blood, never to see our families again.

Al would be alone.

"Liar!" Ling yelled, and Lynn sat down heavily.

"Please tell us you're lying, Envy! Say it isn't true! It can't be!" I stared at my hands in horror. "I can't die here- Who'll take care of Al? I made a promise!"

Lynn was silent, eyes glazed over in shock and defeat.

"Why is everyone talking about the Doors of Truth, anyway?!" I muttered. "Sacrifices and Doors... Who's your Father, and why would he try and create the Doors of Truth? Is it the Fuhrer?" I asked Envy angrily.

"That brat?" Envy scoffed.

"It's Hohenheim's clone." Lynn said.

Envy looked at Lynn sharply. "Shut it, you."

"Oi," Ling glared at Envy. "Don't talk to her like that."

"Is the Fuhrer really a homunculus, then?" I asked, hoping to change the topic before Envy murdered Ling or something.

"Yup," Envy confirmed.

"Damn," I swore. My mind was darting between all of the things that were going on in Amestris. "So...the Fifth Laboratory...Philosopher's Stones...homunculi...The Fuhrer's a part of your big evil scheme, right? Is Ishval a part of it, too?"

Envy suddenly grinned, and I became suspicious. That was an evil smile that did not bode well for anyone. "The Ishvalan war...that one was great! Do you remember the cause?"

"Well, an Amestrian officer shot and killed an Ishvalan child." I said cautiously.

"Ding dong, that is wrong!" Envy cackled. "I was the one who shot the brat, not the officer! That felt really good. A huge war filled with death, caused by one single bullet! Humans are so easy to manipulate! It was great! Ah, but it only gets better from there! The officer I impersonated was one who had spoken out against the military's intervention in Ishval in the first place! The military council court martialed him and he later killed himself!" Envy's laugh was harsh and insane. I hated it.

There was a bang and Envy toppled backwards, bullet through his skull. "Owww," he complained with annoyance, getting up and sitting on his rock again.

"You horrible bastard." Lynn said with a shaky voice. "What you did to me was horrible, but a child- You _murdered_ a _child_ and caused a _war_."

"The East and my hometown were destroyed," I added with devastation. "The Ishvalan people were driven from there home, and the deaths gave birth to the vengeful Scar. And then...Winry's parents-" I ran at him in a sudden fury, teeth clenched and fists tightened. I drew back smashed my automail into his face-

But he didn't flinch.

"You brats want to fight?" Envy growled. "We're all gonna die here anyway. Why don't I give you a taste of hell?" Alchemical sparks shot out from all over his body as he started to transform.

"Ed, get back!" Ling yelled, running up and grabbing my arm. "Didn't you see his footprints back in the forest?"

"Er, no.." I said, confused, but my expression didn't change. I was too angry.

"They sunk down a great deal, and another time when he landed on a metal beam, it was completely crushed." Ling told me.

"So his true form must be pretty dense." Lynn observed, voice still a little shaky with fear and rage.

"I bet it's huge," Ling said, and he was right.

Envy reared back, alchemical sparks and lights all over his body, as his lean, white limbs grew huge and muscular and turned green. He was like a gigantic lizard, with four legs on both sides of his body and a long tail. He had spiky horns lining the ridge of his back, and there were horrible, humanoid _things_ growing out from his torso and lower body. They wailed and yelled and cried and begged for mercy, weeping and dripping saliva. One eye was blackened and the other was white, and one had multiple pupils and irises. He had a snout containing large teeth that were as big as my chest, and his nostrils flared as he tipped his head back and roared. He still had black hair, for some reason.

"Holy shit," Lynn whispered. "What layer of hell did _you_ crawl out of? Mother of god, he gets angry and turns into a huge green monster. I think we need Bruce Banner to come here and talk this guy down a little."

My only thought was _oh god oh god oh god FUCK._


End file.
